


Almost A Vacation

by ARtheBard



Series: JEmily Forever [27]
Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-22
Updated: 2017-10-22
Packaged: 2019-01-21 15:07:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 22,235
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12460302
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ARtheBard/pseuds/ARtheBard
Summary: Part of the team travels back to Alaska to testify against Patty Shields 9see story "Saviour") . But with a long trip comes lots of down time and plenty of time for fun. A little fluff, a little trial, a little tiny puppy. Enjoy!





	1. Chapter 1

For the next three weeks Emily and JJ experience the wonder of the ever-growing Rocky. The team had gone away on two cases. One just lasted 2 days. The other kept them away for 6. True to her word, Emily had not even left the precinct to interview witnesses or family members. It surprised even her when she did not miss being out in the mix at all.

Having arrived home late Friday night, this Saturday morning JJ actually wakes up before her wife. She is listening to Henry making his content morning sounds on the baby monitor while tracing her hand over the now very obvious bump on her wife’s stomach. She leans down, eases up her wife’s sleep shirt and gives the bump a kiss.

“Hi, Rocky. It’s your Mommy here. I just want to say how much I love you and hope you are doing good. I also want to let you know I appreciate you getting off the fish kick for a few days. I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to enjoy a fish dinner again, little one. And I used to love a good tuna steak.”

She rubs her hand over the bump again…and it kicks her. She sits up.

“Rocky…did you just kick me?”

This time she definitely feels the kick. She quickly shakes Emily.

“Em! Rocky is kicking!” she says excitedly.

Emily’s eyes pop open. “What? She’s wha—oh!” She feels the sensation wash over her again. She whispers wondrously, “Whoa…that’s freaky!”

JJ and Emily lock eyes and begin to chuckle as Rocky appears to be going through a morning calisthenics routine. After a few minutes she calms back down. Emily pulls JJ up into a hug.

“Oh, God, Jen! I remember the first time I felt your stomach when Henry was kicking. I had no idea it felt that…that weird from your side of it!”

JJ chuckles. “Yeah, it takes some getting used to.”

“So, uh, how exactly did you figure out she was kicking. She didn’t try to punt you out of bed, did she?” Emily teases.

JJ grins. “Nope. She and I were talking. I was thanking her for getting off the fish kick, even though I’m pretty sure she’s already ruined fish for me.”

Emily smiles and runs her hand through JJ’s soft, golden hair. “Did you get to finish your talk?”

JJ leans over and kisses her wife. “It can be continued later.”

Emily moans as JJ kisses her again, her tongue begging entrance into the brunette’s mouth. Emily happily allows it. JJ slides Emily’s sleep shirt up higher, her hand cupping a perfect breast.

“St—stop, J—Jen…please…” Emily suddenly pleads.

JJ leans up and studies her wife with concern. “Did I hurt you, baby?”

Emily shakes her head. “No…Rocky is kicking my bladder. Move!”

She scrambles out of the bed towards the bathroom followed by the sounds of her wife’s laughter. By the time she finishes, Henry’s content sounds had turned to “I’m wet and hungry” sounds. JJ is stretching as Emily walks back into the bedroom.

“Sorry, sweetheart,” the brunette apologizes.

JJ shakes her head. “Don’t be. Little Man would have interrupted us anyway. You still look tired, honey. Why don’t you lie down again? Even if you don’t go to sleep you can rest a little.”

Emily nods. “Yeah, I think I will.”

“Can I bring you anything?”

“Anchovy milkshake?” Emily asks with a serious face. As soon as JJ looks fully sick, Emily starts to laugh. “Just kidding. How about some orange juice?”

JJ is shaking her head. “After that smartass comment I  _ought_  to bring you an anchovy milkshake. I am never going to be able to get the thought of that disgusting concoction out of my head,” she mutters as she walks off.

Emily chuckles and crawls back into bed. She snuggles up with JJ’s pillow, letting the scent of her wife sooth her back to sleep.

* * *

 

Emily feels small fingers lift her eyelid. Henry is practically standing on his head as he looks into her forced open eye.

“Mama?”

Emily chuckles and opens both eyes. “Hi, Champ.”

He giggles. “MAMA!”

Emily rolls to her back as he pounces on her, giving her a big hug. “Good morning, Henry. Oh you do give the best hugs.” He sits up and just smiles at her. “Where’s your mommy?”

He points towards the door. A moment later JJ walks in with a tray containing breakfast in bed for Emily.

“Tell Mama to sit up, Henry.”

“Up! Mama, up!” he commands.

Emily smiles. “Yes, sir.” She plumps her pillows up to cushion her as she sits up. JJ puts the tray across her lap. “What did I do to deserve this?”

JJ gives her a quick kiss. “That hotel bed was horrible. I know you’re achy from it and didn’t sleep well all week. Just wanted you to rest a little longer but I figured Rocky would be hungry.” She ruffles Henry’s hair. “So Henry and I thought you might want breakfast in bed, right Henry?”

Henry nods happily. “Yummm!”

Emily smiles. “Well, it looks wonderful. I love pancakes. Did you get some, Henry?”

He shakes his head, his face sad. JJ looks at him.

“Henry Alan LaMontagne! You most certainly did get pancakes!”

Henry looks from JJ to Emily. His sad face turns into a devilish grin. “Yummm!”

Emily busts out laughing. “Yep, Jen, your mother is being avenged.”

JJ glares at her wife, a twinkle in her eyes. “You better hope Rocky doesn’t avenge your parents.”

Emily blanches. “Ugh! That is just too scary to contemplate!”

They both laugh. So does Henry…though he has no idea why. As Emily starts to eat, she cuts off a bit of pancake and offers it to Henry. He gobbles it down. Emily looks at JJ, who just smiles. JJ lifts her mug of coffee off the tray and sits down in the recliner in the bedroom.

“So, what should we do today?”

“Laundry,” Emily says with a laugh.

JJ nods. “Good idea. But maybe we can also head to the mall. Henry needs some new clothes for summer and we can look at more baby things.”

Emily nod. “Sounds good. Want to call Declan and see if he wants to join us?”

JJ grins. “Already did. We’ll pick him up on the way and he’ll stay over tonight. He wants to get off campus for a while.”

Emily smiles, hit once again by the love she feels for her wife. “I love you, Jen. Not many people could have accepted him so easily.”

JJ shrugs. “He’s a good kid. Tom is obviously a remarkable father.”

Emily nods as she finishes her breakfast. “Yeah. I’m just glad the treatments are going so well. Dec doesn’t need to lose him.”

“I agree with that.” She stands and lifts the tray off of Emily’s lap. “Let me run this downstairs then I’ll come back and get Henry so I can get him dressed while you shower.”

“Okay.” She lifts Henry up and cuddles him beside her. “How about a story, Champ?”

He nods and she launches into a fairy tale, complete with silly voices just to make him laugh. JJ watches a moment, knowing she could never love anyone as much as she loves Emily Prentiss.


	2. Chapter 2

“DEEK!” Henry squeals happily as the blonde teen heads towards the Prentiss clan.

Emily is staring at his face. “Dec…what the heck happened?”

He grins proudly. “Jerk got mad that I blocked him one too many times. He’s the number one goal scorer in our league and I was all over him. So he threw a punch that knocked my helmet off and then hit my face with his stick. He got ejected for it.”

Emil draws a finger lightly down the horribly black eye. She shakes her head.

“Did you tell your father?”

“Yeah. He made me email him a picture. It’s cool, huh?”

Emily stares at him a minute then grins. She looks at JJ. “He thinks it’s cool, Jen. Remember that when Henry wants to play lacrosse.”

JJ chuckles. “I’ll keep it in mind.” She ruffles Dec’s hair. “How many did he score on you?”

His smile gets bigger. “Not a single one!”

JJ nods. “Awesome!”

He nods. “Yeah, I know.” He looks back at Emily. “Dad said to ask if you would mind buying me some new sneakers. The ones I have for gym are too small.”

“Sure. What about your cleats?”

“They’re okay. I get them a size larger so I can wear an extra pair of socks. They’ll be okay the rest of the season.”

“And your dress shoes?” she asks, knowing he has to wear loafers for class.

He shrugs. “They’re okay, I guess. I mostly just sit when I’m wearing them so they’ll be fine.”

She chuckles. “Tell you what? We’ll look for those, too. Anything else you need?”

He blushes. “Umm…no…”

She frowns. “Dec…what do you need?”

He sighs. “Umm…can I tell you in the car?”

Emily nods. “Okay. Sure. Let me just finish getting you signed out for the night.”

“Come on, Dec, let’s take your stuff out to the car and get Little Man in his car seat.”

“Okay.”

As Declan and JJ head outside, Emily just watches them go, wondering what he could possibly need that would embarrass him.

Outside, JJ knows. She pulls a couple of $20’s out of her pocket and hands them to Declan.

“Here. I’ll keep her distracted. You buy a couple athletic supporters.”

He blushes. “Uh…uh…”

She smiles. “I remember my brother having the same conversation with my mother when my dad was out of town.”

He sighs and grins, tucking the money in his pocket. “Thanks, Jennifer. I really appreciate it.”

“No problem. Who knows? Maybe someday Henry will be asking you to help him out when he needs one.”

Declan laughs. “Cool.”

JJ just grins. By the time Emily catches up to them, Henry is in his car seat babbling happily to Declan. Emily glances at the teen.

“So, what was it you needed?”

JJ lays a hand on Emily’s thigh. “Taken care of.”

“What?”

“I said it’s taken care of. Now, drive, woman,” she commands with a grin.

Declan just laughs as Emily looks from JJ to Dec and back again. “Getting mighty uppity, Agent Jareau.”

“But you still love me, Agent Prentiss.”

Dec cracks up. “You two are funny.”

Emily just grins and shakes her head.

* * *

 

Emily watches as JJ pushes Henry’s stroller through Potomac Mills Mall just ahead of her and Declan.

“So you talked to your Dad this morning?”

“Yeah. He…he looks really sick but says he feels good.” Dec shrugs. “Guess he would try to hide it if he was doing bad so I won’t worry, right?”

Emily wraps an arm around his shoulders. “I talked to him on Thursday. You’re right, he does look bad. And he feels kind of gross, too. The thing is the treatments he’s going through are the types that make him feel worse before he feels better. I promise you, Dec, he’s doing okay. He’s not hiding anything from you.”

Declan looks up into Emily’s eyes. “Yeah?”

She smiles and nods. “Yeah. I even spoke with his doctors. They are very excited about how well he is responding. They also don’t think his cancer was as advanced as originally thought. He has so much going for him, Dec. We just have to stay positive for him and believe that he will beat that shit.”

Dec grins at her. “Yeah. He will.” He thinks a second. “But better not let Henry hear you describe it like that.”

Emily chuckles. “He’s far enough away I can risk it.” They catch up to JJ as she heads into a shoe store. “Jen, Dec, why don’t you guys do what you need to here. I’m going to run into the maternity store. I doubt any of you want to wait around while I try on clothes.”

“Yeah, doesn’t sound like fun,” Dec admits.

“I know. So get what you need. Dec, if you need new loafers, get them, okay?”

He nods. “Okay.”

Emily heads off to get some summer clothes. JJ looks at Dec.

“Let’s get shoes for you and Henry. Then we can walk down to the athletic store, okay?”

Dec nods. “Cool.”

They start to look around. Dec sees a pair of Air Jordan’s and grabs them. “Cool! Jennifer, how about—”

JJ raises an eyebrow. “You should have shopped with just Emily. I’m the All-American, remember? I know gym shoes.”

He grins and puts them down. “Can’t blame me for trying,” he admits with a shrug.

She smiles. “Right. Find shoes good for what you need not to impress your friends.” JJ suddenly stops and frowns. “Oh, God…I just turned into Sandy Jareau.”

Declan laughs as he walks over to look at more appropriate shoes. JJ just shakes her head and starts to look at sneakers for Henry. She finally settles on a pair of Muppets sneakers that are just too cute for words. She pushes Henry over to see Declan trying on a pair of cross trainers.

“Those look good. Do they fit okay?”

“Yeah. The sales guy suggested getting them a half size too big since I’m in a bit of a growth spurt right now. That way they’ll last at least a little longer.”

“Good idea,” JJ agrees. “How about Loafers?”

“They don’t have the type here we have to wear. We may have to go to one of the men’s stores for those.”

JJ nods. “Okay. Well, let’s get the sneakers then head to the sports store next. Then we’ll collect Em and head for the men’s store.”

“Sure.” Dec hands his shoes to JJ. He smiles. “Jennifer?”

“Yeah, Dec?”

“Thanks. For everything.”

She looks back at him and nods. “You’re welcome. I’m glad I’ve gotten to know you. You’re a great guy, Dec.”

He blushes. “Thanks.”

He takes over pushing Henry’s stroller. Henry cackles with glee as Dec makes racing sounds with it and drives it slightly more excitingly than JJ or Emily do. JJ just smiles, knowing that for all the fun he is having, Dec is also being very careful. He’s a natural with Henry and JJ can’t help but imagine Henry at Dec’s age; hoping he is as fine a young man.

In the sports store, Declan heads off to get what he needs. JJ starts to flip through the kids shirts. She sees one and grins. It will be a little big but she has to buy it for Henry. She holds it up to him.

“What do you think? Will Mama like it?”

Henry just claps his hands at the shirt that simply says “Champ” across the front. JJ sees Declan in the check out and gives him a second to complete his purchase before heading up there with Henry’s shirt.

“All set, Dec?”

He nods. “Yep. Thanks, Jennifer.”

“No problem.”

They head back towards the maternity store in time to see Emily come out with two big bags. Since the other purchases were on the stroller, Declan takes the bags from Emily.

“I’ve got them, Emily.”

“Thanks, Dec. Did you get everything you need?”

“I still have to get loafers.”

“Okay. Would you all mind if I wait for you here? My back is starting to ache again. You can leave Henry with me if you want.”

JJ and Dec agree and head off down to the men’s store. Emily lifts Henry out of the stroller and starts to sing to him. He cuddles up against her and is soon drifting off to sleep. He’d had an exciting morning and it was definitely nap time. She kisses his forehead.

“What do you think the chances are I can crawl into the stroller with you when they get back and get a ride to the car?” He just sighs. “Yeah, I didn’t think so either,” she admits with a grin.

* * *

 

When they get home they have a message from Morgan inviting himself over for dinner. Emily rolls her eyes.

“So much for his big date.”

“Something tells me you’re in for a marathon game of air hockey,” JJ states.

Declan frowns. “Why?”

“When Morgan has girl problems, he and Emily used to go out for a beer. Now he comes over and they play air hockey while he figures out what he did wrong,” JJ explains.

“Oh. What if it wasn’t his fault?”

Emily laughs. “Trust me: it usually is.”

Declan laughs. “Oh. Well, do you need me to do anything? If not, I have to read ‘The Once and Future King’ for English class.”

“Go for it. It’s a great book,” Emily enthuses. “Maybe tonight we can watch a movie and make popcorn.”

“Cool!” He heads upstairs to the room he uses and gets to work on his homework.

Emily moves to her wife. “Okay, so what was the big secret?”

JJ is confused at first then realizes what Emily is talking about. She leans close and whispers. “He needed a new jock strap. He was embarrassed to ask. Luckily I remember Mark being embarrassed when Mom had to get him one.”

“Ah, okay. Thank God you knew the signs. I was scared his head was going to explode.” She kisses her wife. “Thanks, Jen. You are so good with him.”

“He’s a good kid. I’m glad to know him.” She lifts up a bag. “By the way, our detour to the sports store gave me a chance to pick up this.” She hands the bag to Emily.

Emily frowns in curiosity and pulls out the little shirt. She smiles. “Champ! Ah, I love it! Too cute!” She holds it against JJ’s chest. “But I think it will be a little tight on you. You can only wear it for me,” she jokes.

JJ playfully steals it away. “Pervert.”

Emily just smiles. She pulls JJ close. “Truthfully, I love it. Henry will look great it in it.” After a second Emily frowns. “Remember when I could pull you into a hug and you wouldn’t end up so far away?”

JJ giggles and rubs a hand over Rocky. “Yep. But I wouldn’t go back to those days for anything. I’m quite happy with things just the way they are.”

“Mmm…Charmer,” Emily murmurs as she gives her wife a big kiss. “So, mind if I go take a nap?”

“Go for it. I know you’re still feeling that damn hotel bed. I love you, sweetheart.”

“Love you, too, Jen.”

They share another kiss then Emily heads up to bed to rest up for the night ahead.


	3. Chapter 3

The rest of the weekend went by quickly but happily. The dumped again Morgan also had a good time on Saturday night, even getting into a team foosball game partnered with JJ against Declan and Emily.

Monday afternoon Emily is reading through several case files dealing with child abductions that had similar M.O.’s in states along the East Coast. As she adds the latest one to the “connected” pile, Ned stops by her desk.

“Hi, Agent Prentiss. Late delivery for you and the team.”

“Oh? From where?”

“Alaska.”

Emily sighs. “Ah. Okay. I’ll go ahead and sign for them all.”

She does and sees there is a subpoena for everyone except Hotch and Rossi. She heads to Hotch’s office first.

“Hey, Hotch, we just got the subpoena’s from Alaska. Want the good news or the bad news?”

He sits back in his chair. “The bad news so I have something to look forward to.”

“They want us up there on Thursday and expect the trial to last at least a week.”

He groans. “I see. And the good news?”

“You and Rossi aren’t being called.”

He raises his eyebrows, half amused, half offended. “What are we chopped liver? We helped!”

She laughs. “Obviously you didn’t help enough. I mean, Morgan cuffed him, JJ was tazed by his assistant, Reid and Garcia came up with the geographic profile and computer program that led us to his altars, and I went cliff diving. So…” she pretends to think, “what exactly did you two do again?” she jokes.

He laughs. “Ouch. Okay, so maybe it doesn’t look like Dave and I contributed as much. Tell JJ to order the jet to take you to Anchorage. It can go back to Seattle to be stateside if needed.”

Emily nods. “Will do.”

“And, Agent Prentiss?”

“Sir?”

“Try not to have too much fun up there over the weekend.”

She grins. “Who us? No, sir! We’ll be working non-stop. Trust me.”

“Riiiight,” he says, knowing better.

She just winks and heads out to let JJ know what is going on and get her to order up the jet. With a weekend in Alaska ahead of them, Emily knows those going will have plenty of fun…along with work. Really…it will mostly be about work…except when it’s not. She grins. They would have a blast!

* * *

 

“Son of a bitch,” JJ mutters as she hangs up her phone. She gets up and heads for Hotch’s office. “Hotch, the budget bastard said no go on using the jet to go to Anchorage.”

He drops his pen and sits back. “What the hell was his reasoning?”

“Since the whole team isn’t needed individual plane tickets should be purchased instead.”

He stares at her. “So since 2 of us aren’t going they want…there is no way that is cheaper. It’s ridiculous!”

JJ just shrugs. “I made every argument I could. They aren’t budging on it.”

He shakes his head. “Fine. Tell everyone to make their arrangements.”

“Right.”

JJ heads out of his office and down to the bullpen where Reid, Morgan and Emily are working at their desks. She explains the situation to them. Morgan shakes his head.

“It will be at least $800 a person to fly. It’s crazy!”

Emily raises an eyebrow. “So…what did the committee estimate the jet usage to be?”

JJ shrugs. “It was like $4500.”

Emily does the math. “So, $800 five times is $4000. We just have to beat that price, right?”

JJ stares at her wife. “What’s going on in that devilish mind of yours, Prentiss?”

Emily grins. “Got to call Daddy.” Twenty minutes later she walks into JJ’s office with a piece of paper. “We can use Father’s jet for a mere $3000. Here’s the quote.”

JJ grins. “Let me make a call.”

Emily nods and heads back to her desk. Reid stares at her.

“So…your dad owns a jet? Like ours?”

Emily chuckles. “Better than ours, to be honest. It’s bigger and actually has a queen size bed in the back which this pregnant lady would be  _very_   happy to have use of on that long flight.”

Reid grins. “Cool. Maybe anytime Hotch is feeling the budget pinch he can call Prentiss Airlines.”

Emily laughs. “We’ll see. They may say no just to be pains in the asses.”

Reid nods. “True. So I heard you had a good weekend with Declan.”

Emily nods, a happy sparkle in her eye. “Yeah, we did.” She tells him about the trip to the mall and how she and Dec schooled JJ and Morgan at foosball.

“You did not school us!” Morgan denies from his desk. “You all cheated that last game!”

“How can you cheat at foosball?” Reid asks.

“They…they just did,” Morgan insists. “Emily made goo-goo eyes at JJ and distracted her!”

Emily bursts out laughing. “I did no such thing! You’re just a sore loser!”

“Oh good grief! Are they still arguing about foosball?” JJ asks as she walks back over.

Reid nods. “Yes. It seems you were distracted by Emily’s goo-goo eyes,” he explains with amusement.

JJ grins. “Morgan, we lost. Get over it.”

“Wouldn’t have if you had more self-control,” he mumbles good-naturedly.

“Right. That was the problem. Not the fact that you kept forgetting to use the goalie,” she teases. He just chuckles. “So, good news is the Prentiss bid is a go.”

Reid sighs. “And the bad news?”

JJ grins. “Well…there’s a bed for the pregnant lady, the bar and galley will be fully stocked and all the seats are recliners. Hmm…doesn’t seem to be any bad news.”

Morgan gets up and high fives JJ. “Nice! Garcia is going to lose her mind!”

“And Hotch and Rossi are  _really_   going to be pissed they are missing the trip!” Emily points out, laughing.

JJ nods. “And I get to go break it to the bossman. Lucky me!”

As she heads off an idea hits Emily. She sits forward. “Guys…think you could help me with a little something?”

Reid and Morgan nod.

“Sure. What?” Reid asks.

Emily grins and lays out her plan. The guys smile. Morgan stands. “I’ll go get with Baby Girl about it.”

“Thanks, Morgan. I owe Jen. After all…I missed Valentine’s Day,” she says sadly.

Reid speaks before thinking. “You forgot Valentine’s Day?”

Emily tilts her head to the side and raises her eyebrows. Reid looks from her to Morgan, who wears a similar expression. Suddenly it dawns on him: she’d been Doyle’s captive on that day.

“Oh…oh, shit…Emily, I…I’m so sorry.”

Emily gives him a small smile and shrugs. “Guess that means that crap is slipping into everyone’s distant memory.”

“Or it means even geniuses can have idiot moments,” Reid jokes. “I really am sorry, Emily.”

Emily nods. “No harm, no foul.”

“Thanks.”

Morgan pops Reid upside the back of the head as he heads off to draw Garcia into Emily’s plot. Emily just grins as Reid rubs his head.


	4. Chapter 4

When Wednesday morning rolls around, the team meets up at Quantico to make sure they have any files on the Denali case they need, as well as files they plan to work on while they are gone. JJ notices the lack of Garcia but Reid just shrugs.

“She had three computers she wanted to take with her. She’s already left so she can get them stowed just perfectly for the trip.”

“Hmph. She better not be trying to snag the bed,” Emily grumbles.

Once everything in the office is packed, they say their goodbyes to Hotch and Rossi and carpool in the Lexus to Reagan National Airport for the private flight out to Anchorage. As they board the plane they hear Garcia moving around back in the bedroom.

“You know, I was kidding about her snagging the bed,” Emily states. “Looks like I need to have a talk with her.”

JJ just chuckles as Emily heads back to the bedroom. The pilot shuts and secures the door. “We’ll be leaving in 10 minutes, Mrs. Prentiss.”

JJ nods to him. “Thank you, Charlie.”

The man nods and heads into the cockpit. JJ has just stowed her purse in a cubby when an unmistakable voice reaches her ears.

“MOMMY!”

She spins around and sees a BEAMING Garcia carrying Henry towards her. “Surprise!”

“HENRY! But…how? Why? When?”

Emily is following Garcia. “Thought we could use a bit of a vacation as a family. And since this trip comes with built in babysitters I figured it was as good a time as any.”

JJ takes a happy Henry from Garcia and hugs him close. He gives her a big kiss. Emily walks up…and JJ slaps her on the arm.

“I cannot BELIEVE you let me cry over him this morning! I should make you fly the entire trip on the wing!”

Garcia pokes JJ’s arm. “We wanted to give you a happy surprise.”

JJ nuzzles Henry’s neck, making him giggle. “And you did, Pen. Thank you.” She looks to her team. “Thank all of you.”

After the initial pressure issues on take off, Henry quickly got comfortable on the plane. He sits on the floor with Reid building puzzles and playing with his activity center. Emily has just pulled out a file to review when JJ sits down beside her.

“Em, how did you get this done? And where’s Francesca?”

Emily wraps an arm around her wife. “Francesca is getting a much needed long vacation. I even asked her if she wanted to come with us to sightsee but she is going to spend time with her cousin and granddaughter. I roped the guys and Pen into helping. At lunch yesterday Reid and Morgan went by the house to get some of Henry’s toys, blankets and his bag, which Francesca had packed. They stowed it in Garcia’s car and she got it loaded this morning.”

JJ stares at her wife in wonder. “But…why?”

Emily stares right back. “Because I love you, Jennifer. And because…because loving me has probably aged you at least 5 years,” she adds with a grin.

“At least,” JJ agrees with a smile.

Emily strokes a hand down her wife’s cheek. “But also because…I missed our first Valentine’s Day in our house. I had so many plans to make it so special for you. I guess…this is a way to sort of make up for that a little.”

JJ leans in and gives her wife a kiss. “There is nothing to make up for. Emily, getting grabbed by that bastard was not your fault. And as long as I have the next 50 or 60 Valentine’s Days with you that’s all I care about.”

Emily leans her forehead against JJ’s. “You’ll have them, Jennifer Prentiss. I swear.”

JJ smiles as they share one more kiss. With a long flight ahead of them, Emily starts to look over a case file as JJ watches Reid and Henry playing on the floor. It was definitely going to be a good trip. She finally opens up one of the files she has brought and starts to work.

* * *

 

Midway through the flight, Henry starts to get cranky. Emily starts to get achy. JJ orders them both back to the bedroom. Emily happily agrees. She carries Henry back with her and starts to sing to him. JJ watches from the doorway as the little boy starts to immediately calm down. She shakes her head.

“ _It’s amazing_ ,” she thinks to herself. “ _Her voice has always calmed him. He just adores her so much_.”

“Nickel for your thoughts?” Garcia whispers in JJ’s ear.

JJ smiles. “A nickel?”

Garcia shrugs. “Well, I gotta compete with Prentiss money.”

JJ chuckles. “I was just marveling about the fact that Emily singing to Henry has always calmed him. Even when he was sick it would settle him. It just…God, Pen, it makes me love them both so much more. And then I think about when Em has the baby. Will he know she won’t love him less? Will he be as happy then as he is now? Will they--”

“Whoa! Easy, Mommy,” Garcia cautions. “Jayje, he will adore Rocky. And Emily will prove to him she has enough love for both of them. Your family is so fracking perfect it’s sick!”

JJ chuckles. “Gee…thanks, I think.”

JJ pushes off the wall and heads into the bedroom where both her loves are now asleep. She pulls the blanket up around them and runs her hand over Henry’s head. She leans down and gives him a kiss.

“I love you, Little Man.” She steps around the bed and does the same to Emily. “Sleep well, my love.”

She dims the lights and heads out to join the others for the rest of the trip.

* * *

 

With about an hour to go in the flight, Morgan heads back to get a last cup of coffee. He   _had_   to find out where the heck Gerald got the beans for the plane. It was incredible! As he finishes pouring his cup he hears Henry giggle.

“I know…funny, isn’t it,” Emily says.

As Henry and Emily both giggle Morgan’s curiosity gets the best of him and he peeks into the bedroom.

“You two having a good time back here while the rest of us are working? Something not fair about that,” he teases.

Emily smiles at him. “Henry is getting to know Rocky. Turns out the little one is a future soccer player.”

Morgan raises his eyebrows. “Yeah? Uh…can I...umm…”

Emily chuckles. “Of course you can feel it, Derek.”

Morgan smiles and moves to the side of the bed. He places his hand on Emily’s stomach and a few seconds later is rewarded with a solid thump. Henry giggles as it makes Emily’s tummy jiggle. Morgan smiles at Emily.

“Wow! She does have a kick, doesn’t she?” He grins as Rocky kicks again. He shakes his head. “That’s just too cool, Emily.”

Emily nods. “Yeah, it really is, isn’t it? Of course, Henry thinks it’s hilarious. And Reid says he can’t get the scene in ‘Aliens’ out of his head where the creature explodes out of the guy’s stomach.”

Morgan laughs. “He felt that way when it was JJ, too. Poor Traina if they do have kids.”

Emily laughs and nods. “Yeah, I know.”

Just then JJ sticks her head back into the room. “Hey, guys. Em, the captain said we need to get you and Henry into seats. We should be landing on time.”

Emily sighs. “Okay.” She looks at Henry. “Ready to go get in your seat, Champ?”

“No!”

Morgan laughs and picks him up. “Tough, big guy. It’s a rule. I’ve got him, Jayje, if you can get Emily.”

Emily laughs. “I can get myself, Derek. I’m pregnant, not helpless.”

Morgan just keeps walking as Emily sits up. She reaches for her wife’s hand and pulls her close.

“Of course, having a few seconds alone means I can do this.” She pulls JJ down into a deep kiss. “I love you, Jennifer.”

“Mmm…I love you, too, Emily. Thank you again for the Henry surprise.” She strokes a hand down her wife’s cheek. “You make me feel so special and so loved.”

“You’re both, Jen. Don’t ever doubt that.”

They share one more kiss then head into the main cabin to get strapped in for landing. Not to their surprise, Garcia has taken the seat beside Henry so she can point out all the cool stuff outside the window. The Prentiss’ sit behind them listening to their son cackle at Garcia’s excitement.


	5. Chapter 5

The case against Patty Shields is being tried in Federal Court in Anchorage. JJ had called the prosecutor when the team arrived and was told there would be a last minute evidentiary hearing on Thursday morning. It would push back opening statements until 10 a.m. at the earliest.

He also lets her know that the first two members being called to the stand are Garcia and Reid. The analyst will explain how her computer program predicted where the bodies would be dumped. Reid will explain how his geographic profiles helped to narrow down possible entry points. He would also discuss the notebooks he and Emily had decoded. Cheryl Runningwater will be called after that to explain how she helped both BAU members further refine their investigation into the location of the altars that were found.

After they are done, most likely not until Friday morning, JJ will be called next to talk about the actions and words of “John Gabriel”. This was a rather contentious point with the defense since the man is dead. He warns there may be another delay as the defense once again tries to get JJ’s testimony banned.

Morgan will then testify about the two altars that were found and the capture of Shields. When he is done, Emily is to be called to discuss the two notebooks she had helped to decipher as well as go over her rescue of Marielle Rogers.

When the agents are done, the medical examiner will speak, as well as two doctors that had examined Shields. Then the only survivor, Marielle Rogers, is expected to speak. If all goes well, the prosecution will wrap up its case by Tuesday afternoon. Since the agents could be recalled by the defense, they will need to stick around until final arguments.

“I’ll warn you, Agent Jareau, the defense has warned me they plan to recall you and Agent Prentiss in addition to the 20 or so witnesses they plan to bring forward. We plan to challenge some of their witnesses but there is a good chance this case could stretch into two weeks instead of just one and a half.”

JJ sighs. “I understand, sir. I’ll let my boss know. I know the powers that be at the FBI will ask that you release those of us you can as soon as you can. We do have other cases to work.”

He nods. “Understood. I’ll do my best to get you all out of here as soon as possible.”

“Thank you, sir.” JJ hangs up and heads into the conference room the team will be using to do paperwork. She can’t help but smile as she hears Henry “talking” to his activity center. “Hey, guys, here’s the deal.” She runs down the schedule with them, including the fact that they may be there longer than originally planned. “So, hopefully you all brought plenty of clothes,” she finishes with a grin.

Emily grins. “If I keep growing I’m going to have to go shopping because nothing will fit.”

Garcia throws her arms in the air. “SCORE! PREGNANT LADY SHOPPING! LOVE IT!”

The team cracks up at the analysts’ enthusiasm. The team works on their various cases files until just after 4, when jet lag starts to catch up to them all. They make a plan to meet at 6 for dinner and make their way back to their rooms. Halfway to the elevator, JJ realizes she’s forgotten one of the case files she is working on.

“Catch up with you upstairs, Em,” she tells her wife.

Emily nods, smiling. “Okay. I’ll start getting Henry changed.”

JJ just nods and heads back to the conference room. It had been better than the original plan. Once JJ is out of sight, the team moves to where they can watch the next few minutes without being seen.

JJ walks into the conference room and rolls her eyes. “Geez, Em, you forgot his diaper bag. I can’t believe no one noticed. You’re all FBI employees, for God’s sakes,” she grumbles. She grabs his bag and her folders. She turns and sees Emily’s purse sitting by the door. “GOOD GRIEF! This is fucking ridiculous!”

She grabs the purse, now balancing her briefcase, the diaper bag and Emily’s purse. She starts out and once more glance back makes her cuss again. She goes and picks up the collapsible playpen Reid was supposed to grab.

“I swear I will beat them all,” she mutters as she looks around once more before leaving and locking the door behind her.

As she struggles to get all the things she is carrying to the elevator, the team watches from afar…chuckling. She stabs at the call button, and Emily’s purse slips of her shoulder, hitting the briefcase. JJ catches those two things and drops the playpen.

“Son of a bitch,” she mutters.

“Here, Jenny, let me grab that,” Alan Jareau says.

JJ is so angry with her team. “Thanks, Dad. I really can’t believe they—DAD!”

JJ spins around, staring at a grinning Alan Jareau. She looks past him and sees her team come out of their hiding spot…with Sandy Jareau.

“MOM! What…how…where are…are you…how did…?”

“Whoa, Jayje, you are so well-spoken,” Garcia teases.

Reid and Morgan step forward and take all the things JJ had been struggling to carry. This allows the blonde to wrap her parents in a big hug. She looks beyond them to see a beaming Emily.

“You did this?” she confirms.

Emily nods. “Surprise, baby. Thought it would be nice to see your parents when one of us isn’t hurt.”

JJ steps to her wife and hugs her as tightly as she can. “I love you, Em. Thank you so much.”

“I love you, too, Jen. And the pleasure is all mine.”

“So is this why you all left everything except Henry in the conference room?”

Reid chuckles. “Yep. Emily was supposed to suddenly notice that she forgot her purse. The rest was left to keep you busy in there.” He grins. “Of course, you getting clumsy at the elevator was just a stroke of luck and Alan, you reacted perfectly.”

Alan laughs and nods. “Why thank you, Spencer.”

JJ is thrilled to hear her parents are in the room next door to hers and Emily’s. They also plan to keep Henry while the trial is going on just in case the testifying order changes. When they arrive in their room, Emily puts Henry on the floor…and is nearly tackled by JJ, who gives her a deep, passionate kiss.

“You are too good to me sometimes, Emily Prentiss.”

Emily wraps her arms around JJ’s waist. “Nothing is too good for you, Jennifer Prentiss. Nothing.”

They share another kiss then get ready to meet everyone for dinner.

Dinner is filled with laughter and more than a few embarrassing stories of JJ as a youth. The team loves it! JJ…not so much. But since her parents, her son, her wife and her child-to-be are there JJ still manages to have a great time. It is a perfectly relaxing night prior to the start of the trial.

* * *

 

Reid paces in the witness waiting room. Garcia is making sure the computer program she had designed is ready to run for the jury to see. It is now after noon and the opening statements had not even been given yet.

“I have a feeling they won’t start until almost 2 now,” Reid mutters.

Garcia looks at him. “Why’s that?”

“Lunch time. They have to feed the jury or they won’t be alert and, most likely, will be pretty damn grumpy.”

Garcia nods. “Right. Good point. Ugh…I could be in human clothes 2 days in a row. That will really, really suck.”

Reid can’t help but laugh.

It doesn’t happen often that Reid is wrong. This is one of those times. It is closer to 3 when the opening statements are given. Garcia is finally sworn in just after 4 p.m. She demonstrates the computer program she had designed and how it had helped move the case forward. The defense does their best to shake her but it doesn’t work. A lot of technical geniuses can’t explain things in layman’s terms. Garcia is a dream! She is great on the stand and the prosecutor is thrilled.

It is after 5 before she is dismissed. She is pretty sure the defense won’t recall her. She had made them seem like idiots for questioning her work. She is quite pleased with herself.

When she and Reid get back to the hotel they see the rest of the team leaving the conference room after putting in a day at the “office.” As they all head towards the elevator, they hear a familiar laugh.

“Geez, Jareau, either you got your wife knocked up or the FBI has really relaxed the fitness standards.”

They turn and see Cheryl Runningwater walking towards them. JJ chuckles.

“I’ll give you a hint: the FBI has changed nothing.”

Cheryl grins, “Didn’t think so. Congratulations,” she says, extending her hand to each woman.

“Thank you,” Emily says.

JJ looks at the park superintendant. “Do you know how far behind they are already?”

Cheryl nods. “Yep. Got a call this afternoon. Figured I’d come up anyway in case they make up time tomorrow.”

JJ nods. “Good idea. Of course, we don’t mind. We’re all looking forward to a weekend sightseeing. Should be a fun time. You can join us if you want.”

Cheryl nods. “Might do that. Consider me your free tour guide.”

“Awesome!” Garcia gushes. “Can you show us the coolest place that don’t involve bears and murder and freezing rivers?”

Cheryl laughs. “Yep…yep, Garcia I think I can do that.”

The team just smiles at the analyst. Garcia was always able to make them smile. That night Cheryl joins the teams and the Jareau’s for dinner. And again, a good time is had by all.

* * *

 

Late Friday afternoon, JJ is still pacing in the witness room. As expected, the defense is again trying to get any of her testimony about John Gabriel ruled inadmissible. At 5:30 the prosecutor’s assistant comes to dismiss her for the day. The judge wants the weekend to reconsider the defense argument. JJ sighs.

“It figures. He couldn’t have decided that 2 hours ago?” JJ gripes. The young man just smiles and shrugs. JJ calls Emily as she leaves the courthouse.

“Hi, baby.”

“Hey, Jen. How’d it go?”

“It didn’t,” JJ says and proceeds to vent her frustration to Emily. “We are so far behind already. Straus is going to have a fit.”

Emily sighs. “True. But there’s nothing we can do. Hopefully Rossi can keep her in a decent mood,” she jokes.

JJ grins. “Maybe. Still can’t believe those two think we haven’t figured it out.”

“Oh, please, Jen, how long did you think you hid Will from us?”

JJ laughs. “Uh, right. Forgot about that. Well, let Mom and Dad know I’m on my way. I love the team but maybe dinner can be just the five of us tonight?”

“Sounds good. We’ll be ready when you get here.”

“Good. Love you, baby.”

“Love you, too.”

JJ hangs up and slips her cell phone in her pocket. Yes, she was looking forward to the weekend with the team. But it would be nice to get one meal in with just her family.


	6. Chapter 6

JJ keys open the door to her hotel room and walks in. “Hey, Em, let me- - _what_    the  _hell_?”

The room is bathed in candlelight. The table for two has been set with a cloth and china. A single red rose sits in a vase in the center. Most hotel rooms have the bathroom just inside the door. This room, however, has it on the far wall. As JJ walks further into the room, the bathroom door opens and Emily steps out. JJ stops cold.

Emily is wearing a black silk negligee with matching robe. She walks over to the dresser and hits a button on her laptop. JJ can only smile as Savage Garden’s “I Knew I Loved You Before I Met You” begins to play.

“Emily…what…what is…”

Emily walks over and takes JJ’s hands. “I told you…I missed Valentine’s Day. Time to make up for it.”

She draws JJ into a deep, passionate kiss. JJ moans as Emily slips the blazer from the blonde’s shoulders. Emily ends the kiss and slowly starts to undress her wife. When JJ reaches up to help Emily takes her hands.

“No, baby. Let me,” she says huskily.

JJ can only nod, her blue eyes nearly black with desire. Once the blonde is deliciously naked, Emily takes her hand and leads her to the bathroom. JJ sighs as she sees a bath has been drawn, a glass of wine already awaiting her.

“Oh, Emily,” she whispers.

JJ steps into the tub and sits down. Emily kneels on a pillow beside the tub and reaches for a poof and some peach scented body wash she had bought earlier that day. Starting at JJ’s feet, she slowly, carefully starts to bathe her wife.

“Emily…you don’t have to—” she starts.

“I do, Jen.” Emily stares into her wife’s eyes. “Everything I had planned for that day you are getting tonight. I love you, Jennifer, and tonight I show you just how much.”

JJ can see how important this is to Emily. And since it felt pretty damn good the blonde can only nod her agreement to the pampering. She lifts the wine and sips, her eyes never straying from her wife.

Emily goes back to the task at hand. She carefully, slowly runs the poof up her wife’s legs, studiously avoiding JJ’s golden center. When she gets to JJ’s chest, she sets to poof aside. Squeezing some of the body wash into her hand, she rubs her hands together then starts to caress the supple breasts her thumbs ghosting over the hardened nipples.

“Oh, Emily…oh, baby…”

JJ whispers, her hips thrusting in time with Emily’s ministrations. Emily rinses off her hands and threads one behind JJ’s neck, pulling her to the side of the tub for a deep kiss, their tongues dueling with each other.

Emily then sits back. She uses a flannel to slowly clean JJ’s arms from her shoulders down to her fingertips, kissing each one as she finishes. She lifts the poof once more and now starts to clean between JJ’s legs. JJ thrusts up but Emily keeps her touch light, controlled. She sets the poof aside and lifts a small cup, using it to rinse JJ’s arms and chest.

Emily finally stands, extending her hand to JJ. Once out of the tub, Emily dries her wife, standing behind her and kissing along the back of her neck.

“Emm…feels so good…”

Once JJ is completely dry, Emily reaches for a red silk negligee and helps her wife into it. JJ can’t help but grin.

“Seems like it would be quicker to keep me naked…unless you don’t plan to seduce me.”

Emily smiles. “Trust me, baby.” She runs a hand down JJ’s cheek. “Just trust me.”

JJ nods. “Always.”

Emily leads JJ out to the table. She pulls out a chair for JJ and lifts the silver cover on the dinner plate. JJ can’t help but smile.

“The comfort special?”

Emily smiles. “Mostly. Substituted wine for the milkshake for you.”

JJ nods. “Beautiful call, sweetheart.”

When they finish their burger and fries, Emily extends her hand to JJ. JJ stands as Emily leans over and hits another button on her laptop. It had been playing a variety of love songs after “their song” had finished. Now JJ leans into her wife as Eric Clapton’s “Wonderful Tonight” starts to play. It was another one of their favorites.

They slow dance to the song, exchanging caresses and kisses. JJ undoes the robe Emily wears and lets it fall to the floor, her face nuzzling into the vee of Emily’s breasts.

“Oh, Jen…yes…”

As another song starts, JJ stares into Emily’s eyes. The black-clad woman sings along to the chorus of Chris DeBurgh’s “Lady in Red.”

_The lady in red is dancing with me, cheek to cheek,_   
_There's nobody here, it's just you and me,_   
_It's where I want to be,_   
_But I hardly know this beauty by my side,_   
_I'll never forget the way you look tonight;_

She would have sung more but JJ pulls her back into a deep kiss. Emily can no longer fight the sensuality of her wife. She slowly walks JJ over to the bed.

“You are beautiful, Jennifer. I have never loved anyone the way I love you.” She strokes a hand down JJ’s cheek. “You have made all my dreams come true and even given me more than I dared to dream. Tu eres mi mundo. Te amo, Jennifer.”*

Though not completely sure about the translation, JJ understands the emotion behind the words. She lifts the negligee from her own body.

“Make love to me, Emily. I love you and need you so much.”

Emily sits JJ on the edge of the bed. She kneels down in front of her, her mouth feasting on the gorgeous breasts in front of her. JJ moans, her hands tangling into brunette locks.

“Yessss, Em…oh, God, yessss…”

Emily kisses lower, trailing her tongue over JJ’s stomach. She lifts the younger woman’s legs over her shoulders. JJ lies back on the bed, her hips thrusting up to meet the mouth that sucks and nips its way lower.

“Please, Em, please…please love me….please….”

“I will always love you, Jennifer,” Emily vows, as she takes the offered gem in her mouth.

“YES!”

Emily had planned to go slow but JJ’s need rivals Emily’s. Thrusting two fingers in deep, Emily’s mouth sucks and nips at her wife’s throbbing clit. JJ can only make eager, keening noises. Her hips pump up and down, needing and receiving more.

Emily adds a third finger.

“YES! THAT’S IT! YES!”

Emily brings a hand to her own throbbing center. She won’t rob JJ of the chance to make love to her but the hormonally charged woman needs a bit of relief. She rubs her own clit as JJ bucks against her mouth and hand. JJ’s hips move faster and faster and faster. And Emily is finally rewarded for her efforts with her wife’s essence as JJ comes.

“EMMM! YESSSS!”

Emily keeps pumping her hand, her entire fist finally making it’s way into JJ, driving the blonde up and into another orgasm.

“FUCK! YES! EMILY!” JJ screams.

Emily can only smile proudly as she slowly extracts her hand…and JJ comes a third time. She eases her wife’s legs onto the bed, turning her so she lies with her head on the pillow. She crawls in beside her, pulling her into a hug.

“I love you, Jennifer Prentiss. Thank you for being my wife and the mother to our children.”

JJ lifts her head and kisses her wife, moaning as she tastes herself. “I love you, Emily Prentiss. I am so happy to be your wife. And so proud to be a parent with you.” She rolls Emily to her back. “But right now I want to make you scream as loud as I did.”

Emily can only smile her agreement as JJ’s mouth moves to a sensitive breast, sucking it through the negligee Emily still wears.

“Oh, yes, Jen…” Emily breathes out.

JJ is spurred by her wife’s sensual whisper. She grabs the negligee at the breast…and just rips it open.

“Oh, fuck, Jen! So fucking hot!” Emily pants.

JJ’s mouth starts to suck and lick and nip the sensitive dark nipples she has exposed. Emily’s hips start to undulate. JJ knows her wife won’t last long…and that is fine. She straddles one long, muscular leg; their centers pressed into each other’s thighs. She looks up, cobalt eyes locking with dark chocolate eyes.

“I love you, Emily. You are mine,” she states as she brings her mouth down to the brand on Emily’s breast. Emily moans, almost overcome with the emotion of the moment. JJ looks up. “Mine, Emily. All of you is mine.”

Tears leak out of Emily’s eyes as JJ again licks and sucks at the shamrock. Doyle had tried to claim Emily. JJ is reminding her wife that he had failed. JJ still loves her wife; nothing can change that.

JJ brings a hand between Emily’s legs, moaning as she feels the throbbing clit protruding through neatly trimmed curls. Her thigh gives her extra power as she slowly starts to make love to her wife, driving into her wife over and over as Emily’s hips move faster and faster. JJ finally removes her mouth from the breast she had been showering with attention.

“Come for me, Emily. Scream for me, baby.”

“OH! GOD! JEN! YESSSSS!”

Emily comes hard, her hips bouncing off the bed. Just as the orgasm starts to subside, JJ slides down and thrusts her tongue deep into her wife. Emily’s hands tangle into JJ’s locks as she starts to ride her wife’s face to another powerful orgasm. Just when Emily thinks she can’t handle any more, JJ’s hand squeezes her sensitive clit.

“YESSSSSSSSSSS!”

Emily comes again, her hips nearly bucking JJ right off the bed. JJ slowly crawls up her wife and stares into her eyes.

“I love you, Emily Prentiss. Now and always.” She leans down and kisses her wife. They each moan as they taste themselves on their wife.

As JJ eases back, Emily smiles up at her.

“Happy Belated Valentine’s Day, Jennifer.”

JJ smiles. “ _Definitely_   better late than never.”

JJ holds Emily as the pregnant woman slips off to sleep. The blonde then stands and quickly blows out all the candles. She pulls the covers up over her wife and crawls back in beside her. For the next hour, JJ just stares at her sleeping wife, her hand gently massaging the baby bump.

Yes, they had missed their first Valentine’s Day as a married couple. But all that matters is they are together now. And as long as there is breath in JJ’s body, they always would be. She leans down and kisses the baby bump.

“I love you, Rocky.” She sits up and kisses her sleeping wife on the temple. “And I love you, Emily. Thank you for…for just being you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *You are my world. I love you.


	7. Chapter 7

The next morning, Emily and JJ are the last to join everyone for breakfast. They get a round of applause from the team, causing both ladies to blush brightly. Henry just laughs and claps with no idea why. Before she sits down, JJ looks at everyone at the table.

“Emily told me you were all involved in her various surprises for me. I…I just want to thank you all for…well, for everything,” she finishes, her voice choked up.

Reid smiles at her. “We were happy to help.”

JJ smiles and sits down beside her mother. She takes her hand.

“Thanks for keeping Henry last night, Mom, Dad. It really means a lot to me to have you here.”

Sandy kisses her daughter’s cheek. “We’re happy to be here, Jenny. Of course I should probably point out…the wall between the rooms is pretty thin.”

Everyone busts out laughing as JJ turns bright red. Emily takes her wife’s hand, laughing. “Don’t be embarrassed, baby. They probably figured out we have sex when you got me knocked up,” she says with a wink.

Everyone laughs as JJ gets even redder. “Emily…do the words ‘cut off for life’ mean   _anything_   at all to you?”

After breakfast, the team allows Garcia to be their tour guide since Cheryl had been called back to Denali. Not that they really had a choice…Garcia had told them she would be their guide or she would do a “thing” and erase their existence. She had piled them into their two SUV’s and led the way to an outfitter outside of town that could take them on an “Alaskan Safari” as she had dubbed it.

In the winter, the business took people out on trails using sleds and huskies. With the snow gone, the tours are done with the help of Jeeps. Emily sees one and looks at the guide.

“Umm…just how much bouncing will we be doing?”

He grins at her. “Well, ma’am, let’s just say I don’t recommend it for a pregnant woman.”

Emily nods. “Ah, thanks. So, I’ll stay here with Henry. If it’s bad for me to bounce that much it’s bad for his little brain to bounce that much.”

Garcia pouts a bit about her Godson not going. But once JJ points out he would be too young to remember it anyway Garcia is a bit better. Just a bit.

Once the adventurers leave, Emily and Henry decide to walk around to where the sled dogs were kept. She finds one of the guides back there with them.

“Hi. I’ve heard that we shouldn’t play with the sled dogs. Is that true?”

The man grins. “Yep, I’m afraid so. But we do socialize the puppies.”

Emily’s eyes widen happily. “Puppies?”

He chuckles. “Yep. Have two litters right now. I’m Jimmy.”

She extends her hand. “Emily. And this is Henry.”

He smiles. “Good to meet you. Come meet the latest sled dogs.”

Emily smiles at Henry. “Want to go see the puppies, Champ?”

He claps with excitement. Jimmy leads them to a 10x20 kennel with 9 puppies inside.

“Their mothers are usually in there with them but every once in a while they need a break.” He grins at her. “I’m sure you understand.”

Emily chuckles. “Yep, I do.” She kisses Henry. “No offense, Champ.” He just giggles.

Emily sets Henry on the ground outside the kennel. She is looking up at Jimmy as he explains about the training the dogs go through. She is really impressed.

“MAMA!”

Emily turns and sees Henry standing outside another kennel. He points at the puppy inside. His face is sad as the puppy licks his fingers through the fence.

Emily walks over and squats down beside her son. She sees the mangled foot of the pup inside. She looks at Jimmy.

“What’s wrong with this pup?”

“He got out and got hit by one of our four wheelers.”

“Oh, poor baby.” She smiles as Henry giggles at the happy puppy. “Will he be okay?”

Jimmy winces. “Sort of. The vet is on his way to put him down.”

Emily’s eyes widen. “What? But…but can’t he be…be fixed somehow?”

Jimmy shrugs. “Maybe. But these are working dogs. His leg will never be strong enough to pull a sled. We just can’t afford to raise one that won’t earn his keep. We hate it. We all really hate it but we have no—”

“How much?” Emily interrupts.

“Uh…we hate it a lot,” he answers in confusion.

“I mean, how much for me to buy him?” Emily explains.

“Uh, buy him? Why would you buy him?”

“Because my son loves him and because he deserves a chance at life.”

Jimmy slowly smiles. “Emily, ma’am, thank you. I hated the thought of him dying.”

Emily grins. “You might want to call the vet and let him know to bring bandages instead of euthanasia.”

Jimmy nods happily. “Will do.”

Three hours later the first Jeep returns with Morgan, Reid and Alan inside. They see Henry rolling around with a puppy and laugh.

“Looks like Henry made a friend,” Alan says.

Emily grins. “Yep.”

“Is that a future sled dog?” Reid asks.

“Well, it was supposed to be. But see how his leg is all bandaged?” The guys nod. “They were going to put him down because it would never be strong enough to pull a sled. So, um…I sort of bought him.”

All three men look at her like she’s lost her mind. Alan frowns.

“Emily…Jenny is terrified of big dogs.”

Emily nods. “I know. But he’s small now. Maybe she’ll get used to him?” she says nervously.

Reid shakes his head. “Doubt it. Not after what happened at Hankel’s farm.”

Emily sighs. “I was worried you all would say this. But Henry loves him and…and I couldn’t just let him be killed. Not when he’s going to be okay. Just…just a little weak in that leg.”

They all turn as the other Jeep is now approaching. Morgan shakes his head.

“Too bad you don’t have your Kevlar, Em.”

The three men wander away, leaving Emily and Henry to greet the women. JJ sees Henry playing with the puppy and smiles.

“Oh, that is too cute!”

Emily gets excited. “Really? It is?”

JJ nods. “Yes! So cute.” She kneels down. “Who’s your little friend, Henry?”

Henry grins at his Mommy as the puppy limps to her and licks her hand.

“He doesn’t have a name yet,” Emily says. “But, uh…he’s ours.”

JJ’s face freezes as her body stiffens. She slowly turns and looks up at her wife.

“Say that again.”

“He’s ours.”

Garcia and Sandy had been watching JJ and Henry with the puppy. But seeing the liaison’s face they decide they should go join the men. Emily squats down beside her wife and son.

“See, because his leg was hurt they were going to put him down,” Emily explains. “But the vet said he’d be okay as long as he wasn’t a sled dog. Jen, Henry was playing with him and loving on him. And look how much the puppy loves Henry. I just…I just had to do something.”

JJ stares at her wife. “Emily, he’s going to be huge. We have a baby on the way. Our jobs take us on the road all the time. Sergio is going to hate you! Did any of those things cross your mind?” Her voice had gotten louder the more arguments she had come up with.

Emily winces. “Um…no. I just…couldn’t let him die.”

JJ stands and starts to pace. Henry can tell his Mommy is upset. And the puppy can tell his new buddy is upset. He walks over and cuddles up against Henry. Emily’s heart soars as her spirit quakes at the anger in JJ’s reaction.

“Mommy?” Henry asks nervously.

JJ turns and looks at her son. He sits on the ground, the puppy’s head in his lap. She stares into his blue eyes…and the puppies matching blue eyes. She then looks into the nervous brown eyes of her wife.

“Geezus, Emily…” she mutters. “Some of your impulse ideas are great: dinner last night, my parents and Henry surprising me here. But this…do you not remember what happened to me in that fu---that barn?” she asks furiously. She turns away as the memory assails her.

* * *

 

**JJ slowly enters the barn. “Reid?” she whispers anxiously. “ _Reid, where the fuck are you_?” she thinks to herself.**

**As she steps further inside the unmistakable smell of blood hits her nose. She takes another step and her boot ends up in a puddle. She lifts her foot and looks down. Even in the dark she can tell it’s a puddle of blood. She slowly flashes her light around the barn…ending on the mattress covered in blood.**

**“ _Oh, my God_ ,” she thinks.**

**Just then a low growl is heard. She spins around and sees the three dogs. Blue eyes widen in fear as they race at her. Two quick shots take out the lead two but the third makes it to her. She screams in pain as teeth sink into her arm, driving her to the ground. She rolls, trying to get the strong beast below her.**

**“Son. Of. A. BITCH!” she screams as she finally gets him below her. She brings her gun up and gets off one more shot.**

**As the animal finally stills, JJ feels herself shaking. Are there more? She hears a noise off in the corner of the barn. Where the hell is the flashlight? She yanks her arm out of the dogs mouth, ignoring the searing pain in her arm.**

**“REID!” She screams, though she now knows it is pointless. He is either dead or…or…something. He would have come if he could. He would have heard her.**

**“I’m alone,” JJ murmurs, her body still shaking uncontrollably.**

**She looks around for a place to hide. She knows the team will come…eventually. Until then she just had to stay alive.**

**Her eyes stray back to the blood-soaked mattress, this time noticing the hair and other detritus that signaled a human was once upon it. She heads to the opposite side of the barn, sliding down between two stacks of hay bales.**

**Every sound she hears, to her mind, is one of the dogs coming for her. Every creak in the rafters is Hankel coming to finish what his dogs started. A small part of JJ’s mind knows she is going into shock. But the rest of her, the part of her only concerned with the primal need to survive, says she needs to shoot anything and anyone that comes near her.**

**There are no friends here, only killers and their savage dogs.**

* * *

 

“I nearly shot you and Morgan, Emily,” JJ whispers, her body shaking at the memory.

Emily stands and moves to her wife. She turns her around and stares into her eyes. “I remember, Jen. I swear, I remember. But with all the senseless death we see in this job I finally had a chance to stop one senseless death. I just…just reacted. And look at him, Jen. He’s just a puppy. Yes, he will grow but you will get to know him as he does. Surely you can see that if he is raised right he will be a good dog, not one of those killers that Hankel had.”

JJ stares at her wife. She reluctantly looks back down at the puppy. He tilts his head at her as if to say, “Why do I scare you?” She then looks at Henry, whose little hands are scratching the puppy. She slowly shakes her head.

“I just…don’t know, Em. I guess…we can try it.” She locks eyes with Emily. “But I don’t know if I can do this and it’s going to tear Henry up if I can’t. This really wasn’t fair of you to do to us. To any of us.”

Emily nods. “I know. It was a crazy impulse and I know I should have talked to you first. I’m sorry, Jen. If…if we can’t keep him I’ll…I’ll help Henry understand. I promise.”

JJ sighs. Finally she nods. “Okay. On a trial basis he’s ours.”

Emily smiles hesitantly. “Thank you, Jen.”

JJ shakes her head. “Don’t thank me. I am still so pissed about this I don’t even know where to go with it. I’m doing this for Henry, not you.”

JJ steps around her wife and heads for the SUV’s. Morgan walks over to Emily.

“So…sharing the dog house with the puppy I see.”

Emily sighs. “Yeah, looks like. I screwed up, Morgan. She thinks I don’t remember the barn.”

He lays his hands on her shoulders. “None of us forget that barn. She just needs time to get over the shock of this, Em. And she will. She loves you.”

Emily just nods, hoping her best friend is right. Morgan stoops down and scoops up Henry in one arm and the puppy in another. Henry smiles.

“Gan!”

Morgan’s eyes get wide. “Did you just call me Morgan? Or something like that?”

Henry claps. “Gan!”

Emily smiles. “That’s right, Henry. It’s Uncle Morgan.” Em smiles at her best friend. “Make sure you point this out to Jen. Maybe it will change her mood.”

Morgan chuckles. “Once again I save your butt. I’m keeping tabs, just so you know.”

Emily smiles and nods. “No problem.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Flashback references “The Big Game” and “Revelations”


	8. Chapter 8

They had ridden in different SUV’s back to the hotel. When they reach the hotel Emily is still getting the silent treatment from her wife. Emily heads to the check in counter to pay the pet deposit for the puppy. She also asks if there are any old newspapers she can have until she can buy puppy training pads. The clerk chuckles and hands her a stack from the day before.

“Thanks,” she says as she heads for the elevator. Something tells her she’s not the first guest to come back with a rescue puppy.

When she gets up to her room she finds it’s just her and JJ. Emily swallows. She doesn’t like the look in the blonde’s eyes.

“So…am I a single woman?” Emily asks, trying to get a smile out of JJ.

JJ sighs. “Of course not.”

“So…um…why are you standing here waiting for me like you’re about to chew my ass out?” Emily asks nervously.

“I’m not going to chew your ass out, Em. I just…just…shit…”

JJ steps to her wife and gives her a deep, passionate kiss. She pushes Emily up against the wall, her hands roaming over her wife’s body. When the loving attack finally ends, Emily can barely stand.

“I…I am  _so_   fucking confused,” Emily mumbles.

JJ leans her forehead against Emily’s. “Someone pointed out to me that your biggest impulses have always been for me and Henry. Especially Henry. Things like the Lexus, the bike, and now the puppy. I forgot for a bit that you do things more out of the love you have for the most important people in your life than you do for yourself. Tell me this: had I been with you and Henry, would you have talked to me before making the offer to buy the pup?”

Emily sighs. “I…I don’t know. I might have blurted out that we’d buy him. Then we could have discussed it before making a final decision.”

JJ nods, finally smiling for the first time since she found out the puppy was theirs. “I can believe that. You did good, Em. I swear, I will try my best to love that puppy as much as Henry does. He is kinda cute. And having blue eyes was a big plus in his favor. Sitting there beside Henry…hell…I think I was done when they both looked up at me.”

Emily grins. “Yeah, kinda hit me, too.”

JJ takes Emily’s hands in hers. “So, from now on, we discuss all major, life changing moments before you splurge on Henry or Rocky or me or Declan or anyone, okay?”

Emily nods. “Yes, ma’am. So…forgiven?”

JJ smiles. “Forgiven. This time.”

Emily smiles and gives her wife a kiss. “Thank you, Jennifer.”

“So, Garcia and Mom want to hit some stores. You up for it?”

Emily sighs. “I wish. How about I just send my plastic with you instead?”

JJ throws her arms up in a victory stance. “SCORE!”

Emily laughs and grabs her purse. She pulls out her wallet and hands it over to her wife. “Buy me something pretty. Oh…and puppy training pads, a collar, a leash, bowls, and puppy food.”

“Geez, Prentiss, you sure do get pushy with your wish lists.”

Emily shrugs. “Just part of my charm. Oh, and Jen?”

“Yeah?”

“Tell Garcia thanks for me.”

JJ smiles. “I will. And you’ll buy her something pretty, too.”

Emily nods. “Deal.”

The two share a kiss and JJ leaves to meet up with “the girls” for some shopping. They guys have decided to go to a local park to play with the puppy and Henry. Emily will have a relaxing afternoon alone.

She orders a hot fudge sundae, some chips and dip, and a few bottles of water from room service. She orders up a movie and stretches out on the bed to rest and spend time with Rocky.

* * *

 

Emily moans. “Jen…stop, baby.”

JJ nuzzles Emily’s neck again.

“Baby…stop…sleeping…”

JJ’s cold wet nose pokes into Emily’s ear. Emily frowns. Since when did JJ have a cold, wet nose? She opens one eye…and the puppy licks her from chin to forehead.

“BLECK!” Emily says as she sits up suddenly. Garcia stands at the foot of the bed chuckling.

“Remember all the times you foisted Henry off on me with a nasty diaper? Told you karma was a doggie!”

Emily chuckles. “Actually, you said it was a female puppy dog. That’s a boy.”

Garcia shrugs. “Okay…so it’s revenge instead of karma. Still works for me.”

Emily runs her hand over the pup and feels the collar on his neck. She takes a look at it and grins. It is blue with polar bears on it.

“Cute!”

Garcia holds up the matching leash. “It’s a set. He’s stylin’ and profilin’!”

“Yes, he certainly is. Does he have a name yet?”

“Not yet,” Garcia admits. “It will come to us.”

Emily glances towards the door and sees they are alone. “Uh…is Jen really okay with him?”

Garcia sits down beside Emily. “She will be. It was just a shock to her. Made her flashback to that fucking barn.”

Emily sighs. “Damn. Pen, thanks for talking to her. I really appreciate it.”

Garcia pats her thigh. “My pleasure. And thank you for the new tu-tu and the polar bear knit cap.”

Emily laughs. “Uh…you’re welcome, I guess.”

A few minutes later, JJ comes in laden with shopping bags. Emily’s eyes widen.

“Oh dear God…how bad a work out did my cards get?”

JJ just grins. “You  _really_   don’t want to know.” She takes in the empty snack food dishes. “So, I see you had a nice lunch. Up for a real dinner?”

“Sure. Think they have anchovies up here?” Emily asks as if serious.

JJ glares at her. “You are sooo pushing your luck today, Mrs. Prentiss.”

Garcia just chuckles and leaves so JJ and Emily can get ready for dinner.

“Where’s Henry?”

“He fell asleep in the car and Mom carried him in. Just made sense to take him to their room for now since they still have his suitcase and playpen.” JJ sits down beside Em and runs a hand over Rocky. “How are you two doing really?”

Emily smiles. “I’m good. Think a good dinner will be wise since, you’re right, I did just snack around for lunch. Do I have time for a shower?”

JJ nods. “Yeah. The guys all got pretty dirty so they want to shower, too.”

“Where’s the puppy going to stay?”

JJ grins. “We found a small kennel for him. Will be good on your father’s plane, too, in case he gets scared.” JJ sighs. “He really is a cute pup, Em. And Henry just adores him. Thank you for…for being you even when it pisses me off.”

Emily smiles. “You’re welcome. And…Jen…I’m sorry you had to think about…that place. I really, really am.”

JJ nods. “I know. Now, go get a shower. My retail therapy made me hungry.”

Emily chuckles. “Aye, aye, Captain.”

JJ just rolls her eyes as Emily heads into the bathroom.

* * *

 

“Oh, I did NOT!” Emily says.

Morgan raises an eyebrow. “Emily Elizabeth Prentiss, do not lie to your in-laws!”

“Derek Morgan, I never once refused to go into a house because it was dirty and you know it!”

Morgan looks at Reid. “Dr. Reid? Do you concur with Agent Prentiss?”

He blushes. “Um…no.”

“What?” Emily says, offended.

Reid grins. “Birmingham, Alabama. The woman had at least 30 cats. She was—”

Emily raises a hand to stop his recitation. “Oh. Right. But she wasn’t a suspect so that shouldn’t count!” She looks at her in-laws. “And I had just bought the cutest new boots.”

Sandy laughs. “Then I understand perfectly. I wouldn’t have gone in, either.”

JJ looks at Morgan. “Remember the time Reid went skinny-dipping with a starlet?”

Reid blushes and sits up straighter. “We were NOT skinny-dipping! In fact, I was fully clothed…and armed, too!”

Morgan laughs. “But it was still pretty damn funny. Especially since that paparazzo was in the bushes snapping away.”

Reid grins. “You’re just jealous it wasn’t you, Morgan.”

Morgan nods. “Heck yeah! She was a hottie! Too bad you never saw her again.” Reid blushes and looks away. “Oh, ho, ho, ho…talk, Pretty Boy!”

Reid gives him a sly look. “I never kiss and tell. That’s why they call me back. And besides, my brief brush with fame has nothing on Emily’s night with—”

“VIPER!” Reid, Garcia, Morgan and JJ all say together.

Emily blushes. “Oh, GOD! Viper! There is a name I would be happy to  _never_   hear again!” she says, laughing.

Alan grins. “Who, may I ask, is Viper?”

Emily just shakes her head and lets Morgan and Garcia tell the story. Sandy is in tears by the end.

“So, Emily, did he get you to do things?” her mother-in-law asks.

Emily shakes her head, laughing. “Nope. No way! Heck, I had a beautiful girlfriend waiting for me at home with our newborn son. Viper is lucky I didn’t just remove him from the gene pool for the things he said.”

JJ giggles. “And he’s lucky that girlfriend was home and not in the field. A few weeks earlier and my hormones could have spelled a nasty end to that snake.”

Alan looks at Sandy. “Honey, what was the name of the little boy that used to follow Jenny around like a puppy?”

JJ blushes. “NO! Mom, please, no!”

Sandy grins at her husband. “Well, his real name was Matthew. But for weeks we didn’t know that because Jenny called him Smooshy.”

“Oh, Mom, please stop now,” JJ begs.

Emily is grinning evilly. “And why did Jen call him Smooshy?”

Alan giggles. “Because he wanted to smoosh her in the mouth. That’s what she called kissing because when people kissed on TV they looked like they were smooshing their faces together.”

The team is rolling.

“I have to know…how old was she?” Morgan asks.

“Oh, maybe 9 or 10,” Sandy says.

“I was 9,” JJ says dryly.

“So, Jenny, did you ‘smoosh’ him?” Emily teases.

JJ straightens in her seat. “As a matter of fact, I did.” She grins wickedly. “And a few years later…I ‘smooshed’ his sister, too.”

Sandy slaps her playfully. “Oh, you little hussy!”

The team busts out laughing. Emily glances over at Henry and sees the little boy is barely awake. She looks at the others.

“Well, guys, I think Henry is ready for bed. And I think I am, too. My body is just achy today for some reason.”

“It’s probably the change in altitude and temperature. Studies have shown that pregnant women are- -”

“REID!” everyone says at once.

The genius blushes. “Uh…sorry.”

Emily gives him a kiss on the cheek. “Don’t worry about it, handsome. Some day you’ll find someone willing to listen to your endless wealth of pregnancy knowledge. Oh, by the way…how’s Cindy?”

Reid blushes as the attention (and teasing) is now firmly on him and his relationship with BATF Agent Cindy Traina. Emily leans over to her wife.

“I’ll walk back to the hotel with Henry. Stay and have fun, baby.”

JJ shakes her head. “No, Em. That’s not fair.”

Emily kisses her. “Sure it is. Spend time with the team and, especially, your parents. We’ll be fine.”

“If you’re sure. We’ll see you in a little while, baby. I love you.”

“Love you, too.” Emily stands and grabs Henry’s diaper bag. “You all stay and have fun. Sandy, Alan, please make sure I get fully briefed on any more ‘Jenny’ stories you tell.”

Alan chuckles. “You got it, Em. Sure you can make it with him?”

Emily lifts up Henry and he drapes over her shoulder. “Not a problem. It’s just a block to the hotel. We’ll be just fine.”

Sandy stands to give Emily and Henry a kiss goodnight and the profiler heads off with her son.

Since the puppy will be staying with Sandy and Alan that night all Emily has to worry about is Henry. When they get to their room, she quickly changes him into his pajamas. He barely wakes up.

She lies down on the bed with him and turns on the TV. She flips through the stations until she finds “Final Destination 2” showing. She had seen the first and wonders if the second would be just as gripping. After a few minutes she grins. The actress might be a brunette but the likeness is undeniable.

“Dang it…Jen is always finding people on TV that look like me and now I have someone that looks like her and she’s not here to see it.” She looks down at Henry. “And you’re asleep so you won’t be able to vouch for me,” she says as she kisses his forehead.

He cuddles closer to her, his hand patting his little brother or sister. Emily smiles and rubs his back as she watches the movie. Yep, it is almost as good as the first. And that actress is really good. Emily is sure it is not just her own bias since she looks like her wife.

The movie ends and the others still aren’t back yet. Emily is glad. The team deserves a night out of just fun. And JJ getting to spend such a carefree night with her parents, too, is just an added bonus.

“And with all of them gone I get to spend the evening with my number one man. Of course…you’re asleep so I’m not sure what that says about how engaging I am.” She kisses his forehead again, stroking a hand through his golden locks. “I love you, Henry. You are going to be such a good big brother. I just know you are.”


	9. Chapter 9

Sunday Emily, JJ and Henry spend the whole day with Sandy and Alan. They sightsee and check out the local attractions, just enjoying spending time with each other without worries about injuries or kidnappings. It is one of the best days of JJ’s life.

Monday JJ wishes she could just go back to bed and not bother getting up. The judge had finally ruled at 10 a.m. that her testimony about John Gabriel was admissible. The prosecution had questioned her (with more than a few objections from the defense) until noon. The judge had dismissed everyone for lunch and then JJ returned to the stand so the defense could cross examine her. When the attorney drags her testimony past 3 p.m. and shows no signs of stopping, JJ is ready to scream. He is trying to make the entire case look flimsy by belittling JJ.

“So, Agent Jareau, you’re saying you never had a chance to defend yourself from the man known as John Gabriel?”

“Correct, sir,” she answers succinctly.

“Yet you spoke to him admittedly for several minutes.”

“Yes, sir.”

“So why didn’t you do something during those minutes to defend yourself?”

“We were simply talking. When I went to move away he pulled the taser. Once I had been struck by it I was unable to defend myself.”

“So tell me, Agent Jareau, why didn’t he kill you?”

“Because his ‘master’ had not ordered him to.”

“I see. And did he tell you who his master was?”

JJ sighs. “No, sir. Our investigation later revealed his—”

“OBJECTION! Your honor, please ask the witness to only answer the questions, not embellish her answers,” the lawyer says snidely.

“So ordered,” the judge states, with a look at JJ.

She nods. “Yes, your honor.”

“Agent Jareau, did you ever actually speak to my client?”

“No, sir.”

“So you had no reason to believe he was the so-called ‘master’ the man that attacked you spoke of,” he points out with derision.

“Yes, sir, we did.” She glances at the judge. “Should I embellish now, your honor?”

The judge and the prosecutor both have to hide their smirks. The judge nods. “Go ahead, Agent.”

“Thank you, sir.” JJ turns back to the defense attorney who looks like a deer caught in the headlights. He hadn’t meant for her to answer his smart remark. “During the course of our investigation we found two manuscripts detailing what Mr. Shields wanted to accomplish. The man that attacked me, John Gabriel, also wrote in the manuscripts, detailing the things he did for his master and things he wanted to do. They directly tied your client to the man that attacked me.”

The prosecutor is thrilled. The jerk at the defense table had inadvertently set JJ up to give the best tie-together evidence of the case. And the defense attorney knows it. He quickly dismisses JJ before she can do any more damage.

JJ steps off the stand. She had seen that Shields just kept glaring at her while she testified. No big deal. She has stared down worse. As she walks towards the gate leading out to the gallery, Shields leaps out of his seat.

“JEZEBEL!”

JJ turns as he grabs her, lifts her, and body slams her onto the prosecutors table. He draws back his fist to hit her as she slams her palm into his nose. It doesn’t break it but it does stun him long enough for his lawyer and two bailiffs to drag him off of her. She lays there for a second to catch her breath, pain radiating up her back. The prosecutor stares down at her.

“Don’t move! Get an ambulance!” he shouts.

“No!” she croaks out. She slowly sits up. “No, really. I’m fine. Oh…ow…um, mostly.”

The judge had ordered Shields to be taken out of the room and the jury escorted out to the deliberation room. He walks over to check on JJ.

“Are you okay, Agent Jareau?”

She nods. “Yes, your honor. Gonna be feeling it tomorrow but no serious damage.”

The defense attorney turns to the judge. “Your honor, I move for an immediate mistrial. She baited my client into attacking her. The jury will—”

The judge glares at the man. “Denied. Your client was not baited. And if you don’t figure out a way to keep him under control he will appear in this court in chains. Do I make myself clear?”

The attorney just nods. The judge dismisses the case for the day. As JJ makes her way into the gallery she sees her parents waiting for her, fear in their eyes. For the first time ever they had come to see her testify. And it may be the last time they come.

“Jenny, are you really okay?”

She smiles at her mother. “Yes, Mom. Will need a soak in the tub but I will be okay.”

“Any chance I can have a word with him?” Alan asks angrily.

JJ chuckles. “Sorry, Dad. Pretty sure I can’t make that happen.”

The trio leaves the courtroom. They stop in the witness room to pick up Morgan. When he hears what happens he is furious.

“They better make sure that bastard is secured before Emily testifies. He may try to ‘save’ her. And then I will have to kick his ass.”

JJ chuckles and hugs him. “Thanks, Derek. I’ll make sure the prosecutor knows to keep an eye on things when Emily is there.” She sighs. “And now I need to call Straus and leave her a voicemail letting her know how far behind this case is. She’s going to lose her mind if we have to stay through another weekend.”

They all start walking out. Morgan chuckles. “And you can bet Hotch and Rossi are not having fun being the ones holding down the fort all this time.”

JJ gets a serious look on her face. “But we have been doing nothing except work in our free time. This is a business trip, after all.”

Morgan and the Jareau’s laugh. “Jayje, if you wanted them to buy that line of b.s. you should have stopped Garcia before she emailed them pics of the puppy and us out on the safari adventure.”

JJ laughs. “Uh, good point.”

When they get back to the hotel, they head to the conference room they are using as an office. As soon as they walk in, Emily can immediately tell something has happened.

“Jen, what’s wrong?”

JJ rolls her eyes. “How the hell do you do that?”

“Morgan looks nervous, your parents look terrified and you are walking very stiffly. So what’s wrong?”

JJ looks at her parents. Emily is right, they do look scared. She takes her mother’s hand. “Mom, I’m okay. Dad, I swear.”

“Sorry, Sports Star, we just need to…to get past…it was just…”

Emily stands and moves to them. Garcia also stands. Reid just stares at them.

“Jen, don’t make me ask again,” Emily says, getting irritated at JJ dodging the question.

“Em, I’m fine,” JJ says, taking her wife’s hand. “Things just got a bit…hinky after I was dismissed.”

Emily raises an eyebrow. “Hinky?”

JJ sighs and tells them all what happened. When she finishes Emily shakes her head.

“Damn it, Jen. Why the hell wasn’t there a bailiff close by?”

“Can’t answer that one. But I am pretty sure tomorrow if the judge has his way the National Guard will be in there,” she says with a grin.

Emily can’t help but chuckle. She pulls her wife into a gentle hug. “I’m glad you’re okay, baby.” She looks at the Jareau’s. “I’m sorry you had to see that. Usually testifying is pretty boring.”

Alan manages a smile. “I have to say, it was rather dull until that moment. It was quite satisfying to see Jenny slam the bastard in the nose. Just wish she’d broken it.”

Emily laughs. “Yep, you are definitely Jen’s daddy.”

“MOMMY!”

JJ looks over and sees Henry has awakened from his nap. She can’t help but smile as he stands against the side of his playpen…the puppy standing right beside him. She shakes her head in resignation.

“He really is a cute puppy.”

Emily kisses her wife’s temple. “Yes, he is. He still needs a name. We can’t keep calling him ‘the puppy.’”

“Well, it will come to us.”

“Call him Alaska,” Garcia suggests. “Then you’ll always know where he came from.”

“Or you can call him Trouble, as in Emily was in trouble for getting him,” Reid tosses out.

Emily chuckles. “Thanks, Reid. Appreciate that.” He just grins at her. She looks at JJ. “I like Alaska. What do you think, Mrs. Prentiss?”

JJ walks over and squats down beside the playpen. “So, Henry, how about we name your puppy Alaska?”

“YES!” he says with a grin.

JJ’s eyes get wide. “Henry! You said yes!”

He grins devilishly. “No!”

She laughs and stands up, lifting him up. “Mother, are you satisfied now?”

Sandy laughs. “I am more than satisfied. Jenny, he is you all over again.” She looks at Emily. “God help you both!”

They laugh and decide to call it a day. JJ does take the time to call and leave a voicemail for Straus to let her know about the delays making the stay in Alaska longer. She is quite thankful the chief isn’t working late that night.

* * *

 

Morgan’s testimony is done by noon on Tuesday. At 1:30 Emily makes her way to the witness stand. She can’t help glancing once at the defendant, almost wishing he would try something so she can deck him. But accepting he could hurt Rocky she knows it would be best if his ass just stayed parked in his seat.

The prosecutor questions Emily for the better part of 2 hours. He is thorough; she is concise and well-spoken. The man knows his case is being made by the team from the FBI.

JJ had warned Emily about the obnoxious defense attorney so she has the “Prentiss Politics Gene” up and running as the man starts to question her. He first attacks her testimony on the manuscripts that were found.

“Now, Agent Prentiss, isn’t it true that all your so-called findings on the manuscript are just guesswork?”

“No, sir. As I explained before we found the Bible passages and were able to put them into a coherent context based on the defendant’s personal statements regarding those passages.”

“But some of the writings were incoherent babbling according to you. How do you know my client wasn’t the incoherent one?”

“Because the incoherent ramblings were written by the disciple who referred to the defendant as his master. The disciple was John Gabriel. Patty Shields was the master.”

“OBJECTION! Move to strike that conclusion, your honor.”

“Objection sustained,” the judge agrees.

Inwardly Emily smiles. It may be stricken but it’s still been said. The jury would remember it.

“Agent Prentiss, is it true that Agent Derek Morgan was actually the one who pushed Marielle Rogers into the river?”

“What? No!” Emily states. “Your client threw her off that cliff into the water. She was dressed in a bikini and her feet and hands were bound. Your client did that to her. Agent Morgan apprehended your client.”

“And then you jumped in the river after Rogers?”

“Yes, sir. Someone had to save her from your client’s madness.”

“OBJECTION!” He screams.

“Sustained,” the judge says. “No editorializing, Agent.”

Emily nods. “Yes, sir.”

“Agent Prentiss, is it true you were having an affair with Agent Morgan?”

Emily laughs before she can stop herself. “No, it’s not.”

“I see. So my client, while out on a hike, didn’t observe you and Agent Morgan in an intimate embrace?”

Emily smiles. “No, sir. What he saw was me noticing him watching us. To cover the fact that we were studying him, we stood close and used what we call a ‘happy couple’ ruse so we could discuss what we were seeing.”

“So the only member of your team you have had an affair with is Agent Jareau?”

Emily raises an eyebrow. “No, sir, I am not having an affair with her. We’re married and I’m having her child.”

“NOOOOOOO!”

Emily had been watching the defense attorney. She had not seen how aggravated Patty Shields was getting. At her final statement, he loses it. He leaps up, planning to go over the table to get to her.

Emily’s eyes get impossibly wide…when Alan Jareau leaps over the barrier between the gallery and the defense table and tackles the man. Shields throws an elbow into Alan’s face but the irate father does not let go.

Soon bailiffs are swarming the defendant who is screaming that he has to save Emily. He is dragged from the courtroom. Emily hurries off the witness stand to her father-in-law.

“Alan! God, are you okay?”

He looks up at Emily. “Been a long time since I used that football move. Should have stretched first. Would have looked more impressive if it had been done right.”

Emily laughs. “Uh, right. I don’t know much about football but I thought it looked great.”

He grins and allows the prosecutor to help him up. The judge looks at the defense attorney.

“If you even  _think_   about asking for a mistrial I will have you disbarred. I warned you to control him. He will be in chains the remainder of this trial. You’d be wise to convince him to take a deal, counselor.” He looks at Alan. “Well done, sir. I’m just sorry it was necessary.”

Alan nods. “Thank you. I’m sorry, too.”

The judge looks at Emily. “I’d say the defense is done with you for now.” He looks pointedly at the defense attorney. “Right, counselor?”

The man looks angry but nods. “Yes. But I reserve the right to recall her when I present my case.”

“Very well. But bring up anything about her personal life in my courtroom again and you will be held in contempt. Good day, everyone.”

The judge heads out. The prosecutor apologizes once more to Emily and Alan and lets them leave. The next two days will see the rest of the case against Shields presented so the agents shouldn’t be needed. As they exit together, Emily links her arm through Alan’s.

“So, are you planning to tell Jen and Sandy why you have a black eye or do I have to?”

He stops and stares at her, his hand reaching up to his face. He feels the tender bruising. “Oh, crap. Jenny will never let me live it down.”

Emily laughs. “Nope, she sure won’t.”

* * *

 

“You did WHAT?” Jen shouts at her father.

“Now, Jen, he was trying to protect me. It was very heroic,” Emily says calmly.

JJ glares at her. “You hush a moment.” She turns back to her father. “Dad, there are bailiffs and…and…”

“And they were too far away from him to protect Emily. You won’t get me to say I’m sorry, Jenny.”

JJ stares at him a moment, then slowly shakes her head, smiling. “No need to apologize. But at least now I know where I get the ability to act first and think later. And just so you know…bruise purple is a pretty color on you, too,” she says with a wink.

“Look, Henry! There’s Mama and Grandpa!”

Sandy Jareau had just returned to the conference room with Henry and Alaska. She had yet to hear about her husband’s defensive tackle. JJ and Emily can’t help but grin as he turns to greet his wife and grandson.

“Say hi to—what the hell happened to your face?”

JJ grins and takes Henry. “Something tells me you better come with me, Little Man, before Grandma teaches you a new cuss word.”

As JJ walks out with her son, Sandy just glares at her husband. “Well?’

Emily lays a hand on Alan’s arm. “Allow me, Alan. After all, you saved me. Least I could do is save you back.” Alan chuckles as Emily explains what happened. When she finishes she wraps an arm around his shoulders. “So go easy on him, Sandy. He saved my butt today.”

Sandy slowly shakes her head. “It’s bad enough I have to worry about Jenny and Emily. Alan Jareau, I swear if you make me have to worry about you, too, you will no longer be allowed to go to work with them. That said,” she steps to him and pulls him into a hug, giving him a kiss on the cheek, “thank you for protecting Emily and Rocky. You’re my hero.”

He smiles. “Thanks, honey. I promise: no more heroics…probably.”

Emily laughs. “Gee, Jen has made me similar promises. Let’s see if Alan is any better at keeping them.”

* * *

 

By noon Thursday the prosecution has wrapped up its case. Alan had attended both Wednesday and Thursday sessions. Seeing Shields pay for his crimes has become his mission. The man had hurt his daughter and tried to hurt his daughter-in-law and unborn grandchild. When Marielle Rogers had described what she had gone through from the time of her abduction until she woke up in the hospital he was just disgusted.

“ _How the hell do you do this, Jenny? How do you accept that justice moves so slowly? Why does it take so long to make things right_?”

He just shakes his head at his thoughts. He would be having a long talk with JJ later. He really needed answers. He is brought out of his musings as the defense attorney stands to call his first witness. Alan’s jaw clenches painfully as the doctor on the witness stand explains the mental break Shields had experienced that had made him not responsible for his actions.

“Bullshit,” Alan mutters.

When the doctor finishes, the slimy attorney stands. “Defense recalls Agent Emily Prentiss.”

Alan is surprised. He had no idea a messenger had been sent to call Emily back to the courthouse. He looks back at the door as the profiler enters and makes her way back to the stand. The judge looks at her.

“I remind you that you are still under oath, Agent Prentiss.”

“Yes, your honor.”

The defense attorney looks at the papers in front of him. “Agent Prentiss, have you ever lied to a suspect?”

“I have stretched the truth to get a suspect to admit to a crime. It’s a common law enforcement tactic.”

“I see. And have you ever broken the law yourself to bring a suspect down?”

Emily swallows, her heart skipping a beat. “I…I don’t understand the question.”

He laughs as if she’s a fool. “Oh, please, Agent Prentiss, it’s not a difficult question. There are laws that you are sworn to uphold. Have you ever broken them to take down a suspect?”

Emily takes a deep breath. “I…I cannot answer this question.”

The defense attorney looks at the judge. “Your honor, can you please direct her to answer?”

The prosecutor stands. “Objection! What is the purpose of this question? Agent Prentiss has broken no laws in regards to this case.”

“A lot of this case is based on her work with the manuscripts in evidence, not to mention she found two of the so-called altars. How do we know she didn’t manufacture evidence to frame my client?”

The judge stares at the men a moment, then looks at Emily. “Objection overruled. You must answer the question, Agent Prentiss.”

Emily stares at her hands a moment. She looks up. “I cannot answer this question, your honor.”

The judge leans towards her. “Agent Prentiss, if you don’t answer I will hold you in contempt of court.”

Emily nods. “I understand, your honor. I still won’t answer the question.”

“Why not?”

Emily slowly shakes her head. “I’m sorry, your honor, but I can’t tell you.”

The judge sits back in his chair. The last thing he wants to do is put a pregnant woman behind bars. Alan stares at the judge. Surely he won’t put her behind bars. Will he?

“Bailiff, take the witness into custody. Agent Prentiss, you will remain in custody until you answer the question or explain why you won’t.”

One of the bailiff’s regretfully steps forward and escorts Emily from the courtroom. Alan hurries into the hallway and pulls out his cell phone.

“Jenny! Emily’s been arrested for contempt.”


	10. Chapter 10

It is nearly 8:30 before JJ is finally allowed to see her wife. Emily is pacing in her cell.

“Emily!”

The brunette turns and approaches the bars, gripping them tightly. “Jen.”

JJ places her hands over her wife’s. “Baby, are you okay?”

Emily nods. “Fine as I can be.” She leans close and whispers. “He has to know about Doyle, Jen. That had to be what he was getting at. I swear that is the only time I broke the law to uphold the law. I swear.”

JJ nods. “I know, honey. I’ve talked to Hotch and he’s looking into where a leak may have come from. But since it’s nearly 4 in the morning back east he may have trouble getting what he needs. Garcia is doing a thing, too. We’ll figure this out.”

“And until then I spend the night in here, right?”

JJ sighs. “Maybe not. The prosecutor said the defense wants your testimony stricken from the record if you don’t answer the question. No testimony, no contempt.”

Emily stares into JJ’s eyes as it dawns on her what JJ is asking. “Fuck no, Jen. Don’t you dare let the prosecution give in to this crap. There is no reason for him to ask that question and no reason for it to be answered. But my testimony is important. Don’t let Shields win this battle, Jen.”

JJ stares at her wife and slowly smiles. “I knew that’s what you would say.” She leans her head against the bars. Emily brings her forehead to JJ’s. “I love you, Emily Prentiss.”

“I love you, too, Jennifer Prentiss.”

“Agent Jareau? You have to go now,” a bailiff says regretfully.

JJ nods. “Okay.” She stares into Emily’s eyes. “I’m sorry, honey.”

Emily smiles. “Me, too. Tell Hotch and Garcia to get me the hell out of here. Quickly.”

JJ grins. “I will. Take care of yourself, baby. I’ll see you…uh…soon.”

Emily nods. “Hopefully. Love you, Jen.”

“Love you, too.”

They share an awkward kiss through the bars and JJ heads out. Emily walks over and sits down on the cot.

“Well, Rocky, it’s just you and me tonight.”

She scoots back so she can lean against the wall. No way in hell was she putting her head on that pillow.

* * *

 

“Damn it, Garcia, there has to be something!” Morgan roars.

“Okay, look, yelling is NOT helping. So shut up or get out!”

Even as she scolds her god of chocolate thunder, Garcia’s fingers never stop typing. Reid watches from nearby, as always amazed by how fast she can read the information flashing across her screen. Right now she is doing a deep background check on the defense attorney.

“How the hell does he know anything about Doyle?” Reid asks.

“Oh my God! It’s not Doyle!” Garcia says, staring at the screen in front of her.

Morgan and Reid crowd around her.

“Talk to us, Baby Girl.”

“Do you remember that case about a year ago in Scarsdale where the suspect barricaded himself in a school with a classroom full of kids? Emily pretended to be the principal to get in there with them.”

Morgan nods. “Yeah. But she didn’t break any laws.”

Reid rubs his hands over his face. “Yes, she did, Morgan. She acted like she understood him, agreed with his conspiracy theory.”

He rolls his eyes. “And helped him steal a car to make a getaway. But that is just a minor bit of crap. What the hell does it have to do with this case?”

Garcia looks at the two agents. “That suspect is the defense attorney’s brother. Or rather, was his brother. He got shanked in prison 3 months ago.”

“Son of fucking small world,” Morgan grumbles. “So he wants to use Emily to get Shields off as revenge?”

“Seems like,” Garcia states.

“More than that. If he gets her discredited this case it could cause problems the rest of her career,” Reid points out.

“Shit,” Morgan mumbles. “We need to let her know she can answer the question.”

“How?” Garcia asks.

Reid grins. “I bet if the court was told that she’s been having blood pressure issues it would be compelled to get a medic in to check her. You know…just to be safe.”

Morgan smiles. “And who might that medic be?”

“I think we need to call Cheryl Rainwater. Bet she knows someone we can borrow.”

Morgan smiles and whips out his phone.

* * *

 

Emily slowly lifts her head from the wall as she hears the main door open. Her neck and back are killing her. She is surprised when the bailiff opens her cell to allow 2 EMT’s to enter.

“Uh, something I should know, guys?”

The female EMT smiles. “Your wife made us aware of the blood pressure issues you’ve been having. We were sent in to evaluate you as a precaution.”

Emily just shrugs. “Uh, okay then. What time is it?”

The woman glances at her wrist. “Just after midnight.” She grins. “Why? Got a hot date?”

Emily chuckles. “Nope. Just wondering how long I’d been asleep in that uncomfortable position.”

After a few minutes, the female EMT turns to the bailiff and other EMT. “Uh, guys, the next exam is kind of personal. Mind giving us some space?”

Emily frowns as the men move away. “What the hell are you planning to do?”

The woman stares into Emily’s eyes. “Trust me, Agent Prentiss.”

For some reason, Emily does. Once the two men are a ways down the hall, the EMT pretends to start examining Emily’s pelvis.

“The question was about Scarsdale. The defense attorney was the suspect’s brother. Bastard got killed in jail. Attorney is after revenge and discrediting you is his best tactic,” she whispers hurriedly.

Emily stares at her. “Who the hell are you? Really?”

The woman smiles. “Aunt Cheryl says hello.”

Emily stares at the woman then starts to chuckle. “Tell her I owe her one.”

“She said to tell you she likes chocolate and diamonds but not necessarily in that order.”

Emily laughs. “I’ll keep that in mind. Thanks.”

The woman starts to pull her things together. “No problem. Nail that bastard tomorrow.”

Emily nods. “Will do. Thanks.”

* * *

 

At 9 a.m. Emily is led into the courtroom. The judge looks at her.

“Agent Prentiss, are you prepared to answer the question you were asked yesterday?”

Emily slowly nods. “Yes, sir, I am.”

The defense attorney’s smug smile is wiped from his face. “What?” he blurts out.

The judge glares at him. “Control yourself, counselor. Bailiff, bring in the jury.”

Within 5 minutes Emily is back on the stand. The judge looks at her.

“Agent Prentiss, yesterday you were asked if you have ever broken the law to aid in the arrest of a suspect. You are prepared to answer?”

“Yes, sir.”

Emily proceeds to tell the court about the case in Scarsdale. When she finishes, she can’t help but expose the defense attorney’s connection to the case.

“Of course, the defense attorney knew this as the suspect was his brother.” She raises an eyebrow. “May he rest in peace.”

The judge slowly turns to stare at the defense table. “Counselor, you are fined $500 for wasting the time of the court and an additional $500 for making me jail a pregnant woman for your own personal agenda. Now, do you have any real questions for Agent Prentiss?”

“No, your honor,” he mumbles.

“Good. Agent Prentiss, you are dismissed with the sincere apologies of this court.”

She nods. “Thank you, your honor.”

As she walks past the defense table, she can’t help but stare down the attorney. She just barely manages not to smack him upside the head. As she walks out of the courtroom she is immediately wrapped up by JJ.

“Em,” JJ whispers.

“I’m okay, Jennifer. Achy but okay.”

“You’ll understand if I want to get you back to the hotel and see for myself, right?”

Emily smiles. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Twenty minutes later Emily is stripping off the nasty clothes she had been wearing for more than 24 hours. As she does, JJ turns on the shower.

“Hot or cold, Em?”

“Hot. Very hot.”

“Got it.” JJ adjusts the temperature and then offers her hand to help Emily step in. “I’m right here if you need anything.”

“Could use a real breakfast. And a few Henry Hugs.”

JJ smiles. “I believe I can arrange both.”

Emily has just put on her sleep pants and Pitt tee when she hears breakfast arrive. She smiles as she hears a review of the food.

“Yummm!” says Henry.

“Henry, you have eaten. This is for Mama.”

“MAMA!” he says excitedly.

Emily steps out of the bathroom. “Hi, Champ.”

“MAMA!” Henry reaches for her.

Emily takes him in her arms. Just holding him helps the last remnants of her bad night slip away. She smiles as he gives her a big kiss.

“You always give the best hugs and kisses, Henry.” She kisses his cheek. “Always.”

He sits in her lap and helps her eat her eggs, bacon and toast. Once done, she walks over to the bed and lies down with him.

“You up for a nap, Champ, or would you rather be playing with Alaska?”

“SKA!”

Emily chuckles. “Good.” She looks at JJ. “Mind if I take a nap. The wall wasn’t the best pillow.”

JJ raises an eyebrow. “The wall?”

“Did you really think I was going to put my head down on that cot or the pillow? I mean, really, Jen.”

JJ chuckles. “Good point. Come on, Henry, let’s go see Alaska while Mama sleeps.”

Emily gets a hug and kiss from her wife and son. Almost before the door to the room is closed she is fast asleep.


	11. Chapter 11

Against the advice of his counselor, Patty Shields refuses to take a plea deal. This means JJ gets to call Straus on Friday afternoon and report the team would be spending one more weekend in Alaska as the defense has insisted they will be recalling all of them except Emily.

“That makes absolutely no sense!” Straus hollers.

JJ nods. “I know, ma’am. And truthfully, I don’t think he’s going to call any of us. I think he’s just bitter about the whole situation with Emily.”

Straus sighs, massaging her temple. “I agree. All of you should stay. Even Emily. Don’t give this man an inch of room to get his client off on a technicality.”

“Thank you, ma’am. Garcia is scanning in the reports we finished up today and will get those emailed to you and Hotch as soon as she’s done. Strangely enough, we’ve actually gotten a lot of work done up here.”

Straus chuckles. “I noticed. But don’t think we are going to make this situation permanent.”

JJ laughs. “I would never, ma’am. Have a good weekend, Chief.”

“You, too, Agent Jareau.”

JJ clicks off and steps back into the conference room. “Straus said for us to stay as long as necessary. She doesn’t want the defense to hear one of us has left and then call us so he can demand a mistrial if we’re not around.”

Morgan nods. “Glad she sees that as a possibility.”

He and JJ grin at each other. “Pod person,” they say simultaneously as they and Garcia burst into laughter.

“Okay, reports in and sent. Lady and Gentleman, we can close BAU-Alaska for the weekend!”

“Excellent! With my parents heading home tomorrow I hope you guys don’t mind if Em and I skip dinner with the team.”

Morgan smiles. “Not a problem. Have a good evening, Jayje.”

JJ nods and heads upstairs. As she enters the hotel room, she hears the shower going. She smiles…and starts to strip. Soon she is making her way into the bathroom. She slowly slides the shower curtain back and steps into the bathtub. Emily smiles at her.

“Gee, ma’am, this shower is already taken.”

JJ wraps her arms around her wife’s waist. “I’m a water conservationist.”

Emily leans close. “I  _love_   water conservation.”

She captures her wife in a deep kiss. She brings her arms around JJ’s back and pulls her close…but JJ winces and pulls away. Emily raises an eyebrow.

“Turn around, Jen,” she asks with concern.

JJ slowly turns around and Emily frowns. “Oh, baby, your back…”

Emily had not had a chance to see the bruising on JJ’s back from the body slam she was subjected to. The worst of the bruising had come up the day Emily testified. There is a 2” tall bruise all across the top of JJ’s butt where she had hit the edge of the table.

“It’s not so bad, Em. Just hurts if it gets bumped or something.” She looks over her shoulder into her wife’s eyes. “Really.”

Emily leans in and kisses JJ softly. “Any time you’re hurt, it’s bad, sweetheart.”

She kisses her again, her hands slowly caressing over her wife’s body. JJ moans at the gentle touches. Emily kisses along JJ’s shoulders. The blonde shivers. Emily pulls her closer, her hands straying down her lover’s hips.

“I love you, Jennifer,” Emily breathes into her ear.

“Love you, too, Emily.”

One of Emily’s hands roams upwards, taking a perfect breast captive as her other hand strays to the soft curls between JJ’s legs. JJ’s hips jump, wanting more. Not wanting to risk the baby bump hitting the bruise, Emily slowly turns her wife around. JJ drapes her arms over Emily’s shoulders as the brunette leans down to suck the breast her hand is ignoring.

“OH! Em, yes, baby, yes.”

Emily’s lower hand slides over slick folds, bumping the swollen clit and sending shockwaves through JJ. The blonde lifts her leg to the side of the tub, giving Emily all access. Emily accepts the invitation, sliding a finger deep into her wife. She feels her wife’s walls clamp down.

“God, you feel so good, Jen.”

JJ just moans her agreement. After a few thrusts, Emily ads a second finger, letting her thumb massage JJ’s clit. JJ’s hips speed up and Emily follows the pace. Soon JJ is ready to crest. She stares into Emily’s eyes.

“I love you, Emily Prentiss.”

“I love you, Jennifer Prentiss.”

Their mouths crash together as Emily adds a third finger and sends JJ crashing over the edge into a powerful orgasm. Emily holds her close so she doesn’t collapse. They stand that way for a few minutes before JJ slowly kisses her way down until she kneels before her wife. Emily threads her fingers into JJ’s hair.

“Lift your leg, baby,” JJ requests.

Emily brings her leg to the edge of the tub as JJ leans forward to feast on her wife. It doesn’t take long to suck Emily until she comes with a roar. JJ sucks and nips her wife’s nether lips, knowing the hormonal woman needs more. Finally she brings her hand up and pumps 2 fingers in deep, her mouth still working Emily’s hard center.

“OH! JEN! YESSS!”

She comes again, JJ carefully guiding her down as her legs give out. They hold each other, kissing and caressing each other, enjoying their bodies. Finally Emily eases back.

“Uh…we should…probably get ready for dinner with your parents,” she says breathlessly.

JJ nods. “Right.” She kisses her wife once more. “Though what I ate just now was pretty damn good.”

Emily starts to laugh. “You are a twisted little woman, Jennifer Prentiss.”

JJ grins. “And you wouldn’t have me any other way, Emily Prentiss.”

“No…no I sure wouldn’t.”

* * *

 

An hour later the women are entering a restaurant with Alan and Sandy. Garcia is watching Henry for them. As they sit down, JJ looks at her parents.

“I’ve already warned Emily and I’ll warn you, too: order  _anything_   with fish in it and I will draw my sidearm. Got it?”

Alan laughs. “Got it. Rocky still making you crave anchovies and sardines, Em?”

Emily smiles. “On and off. Lately more off than on but I think it’s already ruined fish for Jen forever.”

“Quite possibly,” JJ agrees. She grins. “Of course, it could also be someone’s jokes about anchovy milkshakes that hurt me, too.”

Sandy blanches. “Ugh! Oh, Emily, that’s not even funny to joke about.”

Alan snickers. “Actually…I think it’s pretty funny.”

Emily smiles at her father-in-law. “Once again coming to my rescue. Thanks, Alan.”

“Just remember me fondly at Christmas, Em,” he says with a wink.

They spend a good 2 hours together, lingering over their meal as they talk and laugh. JJ can’t help but think that for a business trip dealing with a frustrating and at times dangerous trial this is the most relaxed she has felt in a long, long time. She studies the woman beside her who laughs easily with the Jareau’s. The brunette had certainly come a long, long way in just a relatively short time.

* * *

 

**“Your parents? You, um, want me to meet your parents?” Emily confirms nervously.**

**JJ stares at Emily. “Yes. Emily, you know how close I am to them. They can’t wait to meet you. I’ve told them all about you.”**

**“You have?” JJ nods. “And they still want to meet me?”**

**JJ laughs. “Of course, Em.” JJ stares into her lover’s eyes. “Emily…have you…have you ever met your partner’s parents before?”**

**Emily blushes. “Uh, not on purpose.”**

**“Not on…what the heck does that mean?”**

**“Well, um, there was this girl in college. I sort of met her mother one night. Only I didn’t know it was her mother.”**

**JJ stares at Emily a minute…and then it hits her. “Oh my God! You _slept_   with her   _mother_?”**

**“Sorta. I mean not really. I mean…geez…sleep didn’t actually happen,” Emily mumbles.**

**JJ can’t help but laugh. “Ah. Right. Well, keep your hands off my mother, Prentiss. You should know I’m the jealous type. And I have well-documented aim.”**

**Emily can’t help but grin. “So I’ve seen.” She runs a hand through her dark hair. “So, um, what should I bring?”**

**“Bring?”**

**“You know…clothes for me, gift for them. What should I bring?”**

**JJ is confused. “Jeans and casual stuff is fine for clothes. But why would you bring a gift?”**

**“Why? Jen, I’m dating their daughter who is carrying their grandchild; their daughter who until just a month ago was dating a guy from New Orleans. That tells me I should consider buying them a car or something.”**

**JJ laughs. “You don’t need to bring them a gift.” She sobers a bit. “In all honesty, my mother knew how unhappy I was with Will and suspected that my heart belonged to someone else. All she wants is for me to be happy and you, Emily, make me happy.”**

**Emily smiles. “You make me happy, too, Jen.” She takes a steadying breath. “Okay…I can do this. I am a Prentiss after all.”**

**JJ frowns. “What exactly does that mean?”**

**Emily chuckles. “Not really sure. Just something my mother always said.” She shrugs. “Guess it just steadies our nerves to think we’ve got this biological thing helping us through tough spots.”**

**Two days later, JJ is opening the door to her childhood home. “Mom? Dad? We’re here.”**

**Sandy Jareau walks out of the kitchen. “Hi, sweetheart.” She gives her daughter a hug.**

**“Hi, Mom. Mom, meet Emily Prentiss. Emily, my mother Sandy Jareau.”**

**Emily extends her hand. “Hi, Mrs. Jareau. Good to meet you.”**

**Sandy raises an eyebrow. “Two things you need to know, Emily. One: I am Sandy, not Mrs. Jareau. And two: I don’t shake hands. I hug.”**

**Emily stiffens as the older woman pulls her into a hug. JJ has to cover her chuckle with a cough. Emily looks more scared of the hug than she has ever looked when facing down an unsub. When the embrace ends, Sandy smiles at Emily.**

**“That was a good start. We’ll work on it,” she says with a wink.**

**Emily blushes. “Uh, right. Sorry. My, um, parents weren’t real demonstrative. They aren’t exactly…uh…human.”**

**JJ laughs and slaps Emily’s arm. “They are, too, human. Just…not into hugging. It’s okay. A few trips here and you’ll be hugging with the rest of us.”**

**Emily chuckles. “Um, maybe. But, um, don’t hold your breath. It will be bad for the baby.”**

**Sandy laughs. “Ah, a smartass. There is definitely hope for you, then.”**

**Emily just nods. JJ takes her hand and squeezes it. “Come on, honey, I’ll show you where we’ll be sleeping.”**

**Emily freezes. “You mean…together? Here? In your parent’s house?”**

**JJ just laughs. “Oh, it’s going to be a fun weekend. Come on, baby.”**

* * *

 

“Earth to Jennifer! Come in, Jennifer!” Emily teases.

JJ blinks. “Um, what?”

“You spaced out on us. You okay?” Emily asks with concern.

JJ grins. “Yes. Fine. Just…remembering the first time I took you home to meet my parents. I thought your head was going to explode when Mom hugged you.”

Emily chuckles. “Truthfully…I did, too. A warning would have been nice.”

JJ nods. “True. Nice…but not as much fun to watch.”

Everyone at the table laughs. Soon Emily signs the bill for the evening and the four head out to walk home. JJ links her arm with her mother as they trail behind Alan and Emily.

“Did you know that first day how important she was going to be to me, Mom?”

Sandy smiles. “I knew when you told me that she loved you and wanted to raise Henry with you. You had never sounded so happy, Jenny. You happiness is all I have ever cared about. And Emily Prentiss has always made you happy.” She chuckles. “Even when she is pissing you off.”

JJ laughs. “Yeah, that’s true.”

“She’s changed a lot in the couple years we’ve gotten to know her. And all for the better. I am so very, very happy for you, Jenny.”

“Thanks, Mom,” JJ says, choked up. “I can’t wait until Rocky gets here. She was so good to me when Henry was a newborn. I can’t wait to take care of her the way she took care of me.”

Sandy kisses her daughter’s temple. “I can’t wait, either. You all are such a beautiful family. I can’t wait to see who will be enhancing it.”

JJ smiles. “Me, neither. I know it’s crazy to say this but…I really, really want Rocky to be a little girl. I mean, I’ll be happy with a boy but I just…I just want a daughter.”

“I don’t blame you. I tend to think daughters are pretty special.”

JJ just smiles, so glad to have this time with her mother.


	12. Chapter 12

Monday the defense ties up the court’s time with another round of motions, all of which are denied. At 4 p.m. he finally rests his case…without having ever called another BAU team member back to the stand.

JJ just shakes her head as the prosecutor’s assistant says they are free to leave. “If our section chief figures out a way to charge this guy for our extra expenses she will. There was no reason for us to stay the weekend and I bet that bastard knew it.”

The assistant just chuckles. “Yes, I can assure you he did. Can’t  _prove_  it but I  _know_  it.”

JJ smiles and nods. “Thank you for everything. We’ll be flying back east tomorrow. Good luck with the closing arguments. I hope Shields never takes another breath as a free man.”

“From your mouth to the jury’s ears,” he jokes as he takes his leave.

JJ heads into the conference room. “Sorry, guys, doesn’t look like any more of us get to testify.”

The team exchanges looks. Morgan stands. “So…the defense rested?”

JJ nods. “Yep.”

“So, we stayed here for nothing,” Garcia confirms.

“Yep. Straus is going to want that jerk’s balls in a sling,” JJ states.

Reid shakes his head. “I am going to be very happy to kiss Alaska goodbye.” The puppy in the corner whines. He looks over and grins. “Uh, the state. Not you,” he clarifies.

JJ just chuckles. “Okay, I’ll call to get the jet ready. I’ll let you all know when we’re leaving. The sooner the better so make sure you get packed up tonight. I want to get home to my own bed so don’t think for a second I won’t leave your ass behind if you’re late.”

Garcia giggles. “Geez…I thought it was the pregnant one that was supposed to get grumpy and hormonal.”

* * *

 

At 8 p.m. on Tuesday Emily, JJ, Henry and Alaska walk in the door of their house. Between the long flight and the time changes, the two agents had never been so happy to get home.

During the flight JJ had gotten a text: Shields was guilty on all counts and sentenced to 5 consecutive life sentences plus 20 years. And just as good: a formal complaint against the defense attorney had been filed with the ABA and he was going to be hard-pressed to keep his license after the shit he had pulled.

JJ sets their suitcases near the steps to the basement. Everything in them needs to be washed so it was pointless to carry them upstairs. Emily carries a sleeping Henry right up to his bedroom. She quickly changes his diaper and gets him into pajamas. She kisses him goodnight, though he never does wake up.

“Goodnight, Champ. I love you.”

She heads back downstairs to find JJ introducing Francesca to Alaska. The nanny looks at Emily and smiles.

“You saved him. He will be a good, loyal dog because of that. But next time, ask your wife.”

Emily chuckles. “I will. Promise.”

Suddenly a horrible hissing is heard and Alaska starts to bark. Sergio sits on the banister, his tail fluffed out and his eyes black with anger. Emily steps towards him.

“Hey, Serg, it’s okay, buddy.”

He hisses at her and takes off upstairs. JJ looks at Emily and grins.

“Told you Sergio would hate you.”

“Thanks, Jen,” Emily grumbles.

Francesca laughs. “It will be okay, cara. They just have to get to know each other. You will see. This is a house of love, for people and animals both. Now, off to bed with you both. You must rest as I am sure your team will need to go on a case soon since it has been so long since you have.”

“Ugh. I can’t even consider having to deal with a hotel bed again soon,” Emily gripes. “I want my nice, comfy bed.”

JJ nods. “Me, too. But, where is Alaska going to sleep?”

Emily stares at the pup that seems to be smiling up at her. She chuckles. “I have an old pillow he can use as a bed until we get him a real dog bed. He can sleep in our room for now so we can start housetraining him.”

“Ugh,” JJ mumbles. “Housetraining. Where’s Mark when I need to foist a puppy off onto him.”

Emily and Francesca laugh. The happy couple heads upstairs with Alaska following them. As they get into their bedroom, JJ pulls Emily close.

“I know I’ve said it but I have to say it again. Thank you so much for the wonderful surprises. You make me feel so…so incredible. I love you so much.”

Emily smiles. “I love you, too. I’m glad you got to spend some fun time with your parents and Henry. And I’m glad you get to hold your Dad’s black eye over him for a while, too,” she says with a wink.

JJ laughs. “Oh, yeah. That was one of the best surprises.” Just then a small paw taps JJ’s leg. She looks down into ice blue eyes. She sighs. “Okay…you were a good surprise, too, Alaska.”

The pup seems to understand. He wags his tail and heads over to the bed. He tries to jump up but can’t make it.

“Uh, you were a good surprise but you are so  _not_   sleeping in my bed,” JJ informs him.

Emily laughs and gets a pillow out of her closet for him. She sets it at the foot of the bed and sets Alaska on it. The pup curls up on it and is quickly asleep. It had been a tiring week for the puppy, too.

Twenty minutes later the agents are crawling into their bed. They both breathe a sigh of contentment as they settle into the covers. JJ cuddles up to her wife.

“Good night, sweetheart.”

“Night, Jen.”

With a quick kiss they are soon asleep. The trip had been fun but it was ever so good to be home.


End file.
